St Etienne
Saint-Etienne is situated in the Rhône-Alpes region of France, some 60km south west of Lyon. The population of the city is around 180,000, while the Saint-Etienne metropolitan area includes over 320,000 people, making it France’s sixteenth largest urban region. The city expanded considerably in the 19th century from its market town roots, with the growth of the coal and iron industries, becoming a key centre for industrial production based on extraction and industrial processing. However, the Saint-Etienne economy underwent a series of shocks through deindustrialisation and global competition, with mine closures in the 1950s and 60s, and culminating in the recessions of the 1970s and 80s, which saw the loss of significant manufacturing jobs, and concomitant increases in unemployment and social deprivation.
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The case study neighbourhood of Cret de Roc lies in the city centre, and was designated as a target area for the National Urban Regeneration Agency’s (ANRU) regeneration programme for low-income housing neighbourhoods. Characterised by poor quality housing and high levels of deprivation, the programme aimed to invest in housing renovation, as well as economic and social development measures, in a partnership between the City Council and other parapublic organisations. The aim was to improve housing quality, invest in public realm works, as well as upgrade other services such as schools, sports facilities, community support and social development programmes. The neighbourhood has an active Conseil de Quartier (neighbourhood forum liaising with the city council), which has been involved in consultation exercises.