Introduction to Planning Theory and Practice

Overview

This module will introduce postgraduate students to the key concepts and principles of spatial and environmental planning. It will describe some of the founding principles of the discipline and examine the importance of the policy, administrative and legislative context within which planning is set. The course also introduces you to the mechanics of the policy-making processes and how this relates to land use planning. But it aims to build awareness and understanding of the key substantive and procedural principles of the profession. This includes a concern with rationality in decision making and justifying resource allocation and challenges to dominant theoretical positions from political economy, collaborative planning and radical action approaches. The module attemtps to explore issues of practice from a range of competing theoretical perspectives as planning and planners struggle to deal with a more global, uncertain and complex sets of spatial relations. What theory can tell us about our capacity to act in thse circumstances is also investigated, especially in the shift from regulatory to spatial planning. Critical reflection on case studies and live examples are emphaised as a way of appreciating the value of theory in planning practice.

Learning Objectives

1. Explain and demonstrate how spatial planning operates within the context of institutional and legal frameworks. 2. Generate integrated and well substantiated responses to spatial planning challenges. 3. Reflect on the arguments for and against spatial planning and particular theoretical approaches and assess what can be learnt from experience of spatial planning in different contexts and spatial scales. 4. Demonstrate how efficient resource management helps to deliver effective spatial planning. 5. Explain the political and ethical nature of spatial planning and reflect on how planners work effectively within democratic decision making structures. 6. Explain the contribution that planning can make to the built and natural environment and in particular recognise the implications of climate change. 7. Debate the concept of rights and the legal and practical implications of representing these rights in planning decision making processes. 8. Explain the principles of equality and equality of opportunity in relation to spatial planning in order to positively promote the involvement of different communities, and evaluate the importance and effectiveness of community engagement in the planning process. 9. Demonstrate effective research, analytical, evaluative and appraisal skills and the ability to reach appropriate evidence based decisions.

Skills

1. Generic/Key skills: Presentation; Written; Work with others; Problem-solving;
2. Professional Planning Skills: Urban design; Spatial awareness; Management of DC process;
3. Client based/business skills: Negotiation; Sensitivity to user groups; participative and facilitation methods.

Assessment

Students must pass all assessment components.