Spatial Planning & Strategy

The spatial planning and strategy section is concerned with the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies, visions, strategies, plans and programmes for urban regions. Members of the section are involved in research to understand and advise on how to coordinate and manage spatial development in large urban regions, including the global south. A central focus is the issue of governance. Research is often interdisciplinary in order to address the complex interactions between different policy sectors (e.g. transport, housing, water), different levels of decision-making (e.g. local, regional, national) and different types of actors (e.g. governments, NGOs and citizens). Research frequently addresses the performance of urban regions in terms such as environmental sustainability, social cohesion and economic competitiveness.

Members of the section regularly employ comparative methods to examine international case studies and to understand how lessons for policy and practice can be transferred. The research carried out in the section seeks to be relevant and accessible to the needs of policy-makers and practitioners involved in urban and regional transformation. The researchers in the section are well connected to communities of practice across many parts of the world including Europe, Asia and Latin America.