Governmental policies in the UK have indicated that a new form of localism is to be applied in the urban development industry. Private developers, who are primarily initiators and financers of urban regeneration projects, are obliged to implement public consultation into their pre-application process. However, whether the involved actors consider the current interpretation of public engagement in urban regeneration effective remains questionable. This research investigates the private-civic relationship and pinpoints the most critical aspects of public engagement, in order to improve the situation for the future.