Better Places (Social Value) Toolkit KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership)

Principal Investigator:  Flora Samuel (Reading PI)
Researcher: Cara Mulholland
Funding Status: Knowledge Transfer Partnership Funding
Start and End Date: 2 year project

The research aims to quantify social value outcomes, leading to the creation of a Better Places Toolkit which will support the planning and delivery of strategic land development to deliver better places and community outcomes.

The area of social value is a relatively new concept in land management. Whilst stakeholders in the sector understand the need to take account of social value, there is limited industry expertise in how the different components of social value are made up or fit together, nor in comprehensively translating the elements of social value into quantitative data.

In addition, in order to use or develop future toolkits in other areas of the business, it is critical that we understand the underlying principles and methods behind the creation of the BPT. The KTP provides a unique mechanism to embed the skills to do this so that we can go on to develop our own toolkits in the future.

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) has been established to conduct the research project. While KTPs are an established approach to improve productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills, it will be a new approach for both Stantec and the UoR’s School of Architecture. The project, which received ‘outstanding’ marks at the review stage is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and Innovate UK.

Once complete, the findings from the study, will be used to create a Better Places Toolkit that will be delivered to clients to enable more informed decision-making around strategic land developments.

News and Events:

Stantec Press Release: https://www.stantec.com/uk/projects/b/better-places-social-value-toolkit

Reports and Publications:

2020 – 2022 Better Places Tool, Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Stantec to model transactions of social value within strategic land decisions.