Building on the success of the inaugural event in Shanghai last year, the second Financial Times Urban Regeneration Summit took place in Hong Kong, a high-density metropolis facing major decisions on its urban development as it seeks to protect and strengthen its role as a regional financial and services hub.

This significant conference came at a challenging time for urban planners around the world as the financial crisis caused a re-evaluation of priorities in our cities, reflecting an evolving landscape of ultra-tight liquidity and collapsing real estate values, socio-economic strains due to massive corporate restructuring, and revived focus on sustainability. 

This year's Summit looked closely at Hong Kong, and also included case studies on other financial and economic centres, including some of the most innovative and successful renewal initiatives, with a focus on complex issues such as affordable housing, public-private partnership financing, energy efficiency, citizen participation, green spaces and the preservation of old buildings.

Senior national and municipal policy-makers, developers, investors, master planners and sustainability experts from around the world discussed the best ways to create effective and viable living and working environments through regeneration of under-developed urban areas.