About

What is the purpose of SPE?

The Centre aims to provide, through research, an evidence and knowledge base for policy makers, practitioners and scholars working in the fields of spatial planning, economic development and urban regeneration, sustainable communities and inclusive design. We also aim to set future research agendas in these subjects by identifying emerging issues.

SPE's research themes

The Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments has several key research themes at present:

• Spatial planning (UK and European): SPE plays an important role in developing ideas about spatial planning for the EU and the UK. It undertakes research on the effectiveness of spatial planning and specialises in international comparisons of planning policies and institutional structures.
• Economic development and urban regeneration: SPE specialises in undertaking research on the links between economic performance at varying scales (e.g. urban, sub-regional and regional) and spatial planning. It examines issues such as regional, urban and rural productivity, development and cohesion. The group has a strong record of research on competitive cities.
• Sustainable communities: SPE undertakes research on the theoretical and practical application of sustainability to spatial and community development. The contributions of both urban design and spatial planning to sustainable communities are studied. SPE's research investigates the impact of the built environment on a number of factors, including behaviour, health and economic impacts.
• Inclusive planning and design: SPE undertakes research on diversity (gender, class, race and disability), the public realm (accessible environments, crime, toilets and health), and social inclusion. SPE's research in this field has contributed to mainstreaming best practice into policy and action .

Examples of current and completed projects can be found on the research pages.