{"id":2,"date":"2017-09-15T19:15:49","date_gmt":"2017-09-15T18:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-2\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2026-03-19T12:50:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:50:20","slug":"aboutus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/justclp\/neighbourhood-planning-2\/aboutus\/","title":{"rendered":"About the project"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

About the project<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

Project overview<\/h3>\n

This project is investigating neighbourhood scale planning across all four nations of the UK, focusing on local areas where take-up of these initiatives is less common.\u00a0<\/span> The full title of the project is ‘Just Neighbourhoods? Under-representation in UK community-led planning’. The work is spanning England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Community-led planning refers to land-use or spatial planning activities led (or at least guided) by community members rather than planning professionals. It is aimed at mobilising local communities to help shape the future of their neighbourhood.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the urgent need for greater social and environmental justice, the connection between democratising planning in this way and delivering just outcomes is unclear. Concerns have been raised about representation, inclusion and accountability, particularly in places where neighbourhood scale planning has generally been less successful. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Most plans do not talk about equity, nor do <\/span><\/span>they include many goals and recommendations <\/span><\/span>that would advance equity. More recent plans, <\/span><\/span>plans in communities with more planning <\/span><\/span>capacity, plans in coastal communities, and <\/span><\/span>plans with strong public participation <\/span><\/span>processes have stronger equity orientations”<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(Loh and Kim, 2021, p.181).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>\u200b<\/span><\/p>\n

Research objectives<\/h3>\n

The project is addressing five key objectives: <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Explore understandings of social and environmental justice among selected communities across the UK.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Examine the nature of representation and inclusivity within community-led planning (CLP) spaces and its relationship with outcomes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Understand how the design, process, and practice of CLP shapes the forms and outcomes of activity.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Assess the added value CLP exhibits in relation to social and environmental justice outcomes.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Disseminate best practice guidance to communities, government, and others involved in shaping and practising CLP.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/h4>\n

    How the research will be carried out<\/h3>\n

    The research is being completed in three main phases. The team are: <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n