Devonport is undergoing a �49m 10-year regeneration programme

The study by the Economic and Social Research Council questioned the partnership approach of projects such as the Devonport Regeneration Company.

It said such multi-agency approaches are ineffective and can lead to little being achieved in many cases.

The Devonport Regeneration Company said it was achieving many of its goals.

People find it very difficult to agree on objectives on which they are all happy Professor Michael Ball

The company was established to oversee a 10-year programme with a budget of �49m.

Its aims to tackle crime, poor health, employment and environmental issues in Devonport, are dealt with in partnership with Plymouth City Council, the South West Regional Development Agency and the Government Office for the South West.

But new research carried out at the University of Reading for the Economic and Social Research Council, said a multi-agency approach results in too many meetings.

It also said bad communication between groups led to little being achieved in many cases.

The author of the study, Professor Michael Ball, said: "People find it very difficult to agree on objectives on which they are all happy.

"And if you don't agree at the beginning on what should be done, you therefore find it quite irksome to go through with something that you didn't particularly want to happen.

"It's also quite a lengthy and bureaucratic process. This means, overall, projects can take much longer and cost an awful lot more than was envisaged."

In response, the Devonport Regeneration Company said the project was achieving many of its long-term goals and was going from strength to strength in its work.