Examining patterns of policy change in a post-socialist city: The evolution of inner-city regeneration approaches in Łodź, Poland, after 1989

The article analyses the process of transformation of inner-city regeneration strategies in the Central Eastern European city of Łódź in Poland. During the period of structural adjustment that commenced with the fall of socialist regime in 1989, the city experienced multiple problems linked to the closure of the textile industry, depopulation and a number of social issues. In their search for a new strategic development model, the local authorities experimented with multiple inner-city regeneration approaches. By reviewing key strategic documents in the city, this paper analyses the gradual change in the objectives and pressure points in inner-city regeneration. The analysis is complemented by the presentation of three case studies illustrating how the approaches identified within these strategies (culture-led development, mega-project, socially focused revitalisation) were implemented.