With the profound and accelerating decline of urban centres as places for retail traditionally
supported by high levels of footfall and chain retailers, there is an emerging trend of urban areas introducing urban greening as a way to try to improve a range of environmental and social factors including increasing dwell time, socialisation and footfall alongside people’s physical and mental wellbeing. This paper, which focuses on the findings from a BBSRC-funded impact project alongside a recently submitted ESRC New Investigator Grant, critically evaluates the economic and environmental impacts of urban greening in a postindustrial landscape (West Bromwich). Additionally, it explores the different typologies of funding of greening interventions including public sector funded (West Bromwich), private sector funded (Colmore Business Improvement District) and mixed funding (Coventry City Centre). It examines the emerging implications for theory and practice and develops policy recommendations whilst reflecting on the broader changes in the funding landscape for the repurposing of urban centres.