REGENERATION specialist Ken Dytor is launching a vehicle to lever private sector investment into education and healthcare.

The Urban Catalyst founder has begun talks over his latest project, Regeneration Investments, with a number of parties. Dytor says he wants to concentrate on regeneration consultancy and investment instead of development.

The venture has not been fully divulged but will focus on what Dytor sees as a market shift in the coming year from PFI to investment vehicles.

He said: "This will be privatesector led, rather than trying to recreate an Urban Catalyst which tries to draw private sector capital towards a public sector project.

Development now has to be led by the private sector and I want to be closer to the assets and capital.

That will drive public sector projects on a private-sector timetable.

"I am starting to explore areas such as health and education as examples of drivers for regeneration.

This is broadening the scope of what I've been doing."

Dytor's latest project follows a government white paper that signalled a shift from huge PFI hospital schemes towards smaller, local hospitals that are likely to be delivered under the LIFT scheme.

Dytor said: "I'm now moving the debate on, and there are people who seem to have a similar view.

There's no clear vision as yet, but I'm convinced that there is a need for a new approach."

Dytor said he was in talks with financial institutions, healthcare providers, housing associations and not-for-profit organisations, but declined to reveal names.