Masters in Spatial Planning and Development (full and part-time)

This module aims toprovide students with an understanding of the nature, role and contemporary relevance of sustainable urban design and development. It aims to promote awareness of, and sensitivity to urban design, and strategic and local planning issues with implications for natural resource management and the distribution of environmental assets.

• Origins of sustainability and urban design practice
• Sustainability and urban design principles, and its meaning in our everyday lives
• Policy guidance and delivery of sustainable development, and its enforcement
• Monitoring and evaluation through sustainability appraisal and design audit

This module aims to provide students with a solid foundation in real estate economics in order to provide insights into the application of economic principles and models in respect of property and land use. Both commercial and residential real estate markets will be considered, as well as the effects of public policy on these markets.

• Models of urban land use
• Location theory
• Economic analysis of the commercial real estate market
• The user, investor and development markets
• Economic analysis of residential real estate markets
• Economics of town planning
• The impact of public policy on real estate markets

This module aims to develop the student’s understanding of the philosophical ideas and theoretical debates that influence planning intervention. It explores how theory can be used to analyse issues and problems relevant to planning practice. The module provides a historic overview of town planning and examines the rationales for, and against, intervention and the social, cultural, political and economic factors that underpin them.

• Historical drivers of modern planning
• Past practices and underpinning theory
• Politics of planning
• Networks and planning
• Complexity and spatial planning
• Collaborative planning theory and practices

This module will enable students to enhance their conceptual understanding of key elements of the real estate development process, fundamentals of planning law, as well as their practical understanding of the principles and practice of real estate development viability assessment. Students will develop their knowledge of the complex nature of real estate development, and how this complexity is influenced, managed and modelled by the different individuals, organisations and institutions involved, thereby resulting in diverse development outcomes.

This module prepares students for planning and development leadership roles. During this module, students will critically analyze the ways in which strategic planning in the UK has developed. This will include studying the concepts upon which it has been based, and the ways in which strategies have been prepared and restructured in relation to their operating environment. Students will gain understanding of the conceptual and practical challenges faced in applying the principles of strategic planning. The module will conclude by considering possible futures for strategic planning.

This module provides a practical yet reflective set of skills based projects of varying lengths and foci. The module integrates a range of knowledge and skills important for practicing planners and puts them into practice through group study, reports, presentations and role-play. Some of the project work takes place around field visits, whilst other tasks focus on planning and development processes (e.g. deliberating over planning proposals, visioning, contesting proposals, policy formulation, site planning and/or project funding). The module integrates practical skills with concepts and creative thinking abilities.

The module aims to build a solid foundation in the economics of property to provide an insight into the application of economic principles and models to property and land use.

This module aims to compare planning practices and systems worldwide and draw lessons from such comparisons. Understanding the different contexts, techniques and impacts of planning deepens awareness of differences in planning cultures. Students will gain an appreciation of the ways in which planning is accomplished and the advantages and problems associated with each system set in its political, economic and social context.

• Theory and practice of comparative studies
• Drawing lessons from comparative studies
• Planning systems in different countries
• Themes, tools and techniques

This module focuses on the development of a conceptual understanding of sustainability and its applications in real estate. The focus is on the adoption of sustainability in the property industry throughout real estate life cycles, including how the concept is relevant and manifests itself at various life cycle stages, i.e. development, design, construction, operation, refurbishment and retrofitting. The module also focuses on drivers and barriers for the adoption of sustainable practices in the property industry, which includes the business case for sustainability.

This module provides both a sophisticated theoretical understanding and overview of key challenges and trends in the delivery of urban regeneration and planning. It focusses on the relationship between the economic, social and political forces shaping urban regeneration policy and practice. Students will be expected to engage with relevant literatures and theoretical concepts in a critical way. A key focus of the module is to allow students to explore the assumptions, models, policies and practices of urban regeneration.

This module aims to examine current countryside issues and policies, with an emphasis on planning in England and Wales. The context for the module is the changing economic and social drivers in the countryside. The module links with other modules in enabling students to understand the UK planning system but placing standard institutional arrangements and structures in a rural context.

Historic buildings and sites are a major part of the built environment. Many will be hundreds of years old, but there are also more modern buildings considered as heritage. The construction industry’s work is evenly split between new-build and work to existing buildings, some of which will have some statutory protection, such as being listed.

This module introduces students to concepts and practices in conservation of the historic environment, both in the UK and internationally, and explains the roles of the actors involved. The underlying philosophies of conservation, their history and how heritage is managed through legal frameworks and policy form an important component. The module also considers matters relating to real estate processes and the shaping of both urban and rural environments. In so doing it covers aspects of architectural and landscape history, and practical building conservation. Examples and case studies are used throughout.

Academic authors

Henry Russell