PP4A6E      One Unit
Urban Development and Master Planning

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Availability

Urban Development and Master Planning is an applied group project based on a major regeneration site. Groups will be introduced to one of the regeneration sites project teams which will include: local planning officers, developers, planners, designers and financing teams. The groups will first immerse themselves in the host organisation as well as the site and understand some of the project challenges. The groups will then work in a collaborative environment in order to develop solutions to the challenges set by the project teams.

Using some of the key assessment and planning tools developed in courses PP4A1E, PP4A2E, PP4A3E & PP4A4E of the Executive MSc in Cities, this project will encourage students to apply the most appropriate analysis, planning and finance methods to an actual development site.

Topics covered: land ownership, development goals, developing the brief, urban design and master planning strategies, wider urban context, phasing, capturing value, mix of uses, public vs private space, financing projects, residual values, negotiations between developers and public agencies, planning constraints and policies, affordable housing, lifecycle assessment, built form, density and integration.

15 hours of lecture (online)s, 20 hours of lecture (hybrid)s and 5 hours of help session (online)s in the Spring Term.

The course will be taught via a combination of asynchronous sessions and live sessions, the latter of which can be attended in-person or remotely. A minimum of 10 hours of asynchronous learning materials sessions will be provided ahead of live teaching, which will consist of videos, readings and interactive activities. Approximately 20 hours of live teaching will be provided, consisting of lecture-based discussions, seminars and workshops. The majority of these will be delivered during Module 5. In addition to these activities, students will undertake supervised collaboration sessions on a remote basis during the lead up to Module 5.

Abstract (500 words)

A 500 word formative statement outlining the structure of the and key deliverables of the group policy brief.

• Adams D., C Watkins and M White (eds.), 2005, Planning, Public Policy and Property Markets, Oxford: Blackwell
• Campkin, Ben. Remaking London: Decline and Regeneration in Urban Culture. 2013.
• Carmona M, Tiesdell S, Heath T and Oc T (2010) Public Places - Urban Spaces, The Dimensions of Urban Design (Second Edition), Oxford, Architectural Press
• Edwards, M., Brown, R., & Lee, R. (2014). Just Space: towards a just, sustainable London. In L. Lees, R. Imrie (Eds.), Sustainable London? : the future of a global city (pp. 75-104). Bristol: Policy Press.
• Syms P, 2002, Land, Development and Design, Oxford: Blackwell
• Urban Task Force, 1999. Towards an urban renaissance: Mission statement. London

Additional Readings:

• Baum, A. & Hartzell, D. (2012) ‘Global Property Investment:  Strategies, Structures, Decisions’.  Wiley Blackwell.
• Swyngedow E, F Moulaert and A Rodriguez, 2002, 'Neoliberal urbanisation in Europe: Large-scale urban development projects and the New Urban Policy', Antipode, Vol. 34 (3), pp 542-577
• Travers, T; Scanlon, K; Whitehead, C. and Fernández-Arrigoitia, Melissa: Public Spending Priorities in London GLA. May 2010
• Fainstein S, 1994, The City Builders: Property, Politics and Planning in London and New York, Oxford: Blackwell.

Presentation (25%)

Essay (25%, 2500 words)

Essay (50%, 10000 words)

Assessment 1: A 2,500 word group workshop briefing document to be submitted before live teaching in Module 5 (25% of course grade).

Assessment 2: A 30 minute assessed group presentation to be delivered at the end of live teaching in Module 5 (25% of course grade).

Assessment 3: A 10,000 word group policy brief to be submitted after live teaching (50% of course grade) in ST.