PGR research in the Planning and Environment pathway covers a broad thematic range of topics related to the planning, development, and design of the natural and built environment. Research within the pathway addresses themes from the fields of urban, regional, and spatial planning, regeneration, environmental assessment/management, architecture, and real estate. Research has explored such themes in the North West region and across other European and global locations. As many of these topics are related to applied disciplines, close links to practice are common, including the use of case studentships. For candidates applying for a 1+3 studentship, dedicated research masters courses and other research training opportunities are available at the Universities of Manchester and Liverpool. Research students are also able to draw on supervisory support and input as relevant from across the two institutions involved in the pathway.

Programmes eligible for NWSSDTP funding

N.B. Master’s programmes can only be funded as part of a 1+3/2+2 Studentship

University of Liverpool

• MCD Town and Regional Planning
• MSc Environmental Assessment and Management
• PhD Planning
• PhD Architecture

University of Manchester

• MSc Research Methods with Planning and Environmental Management
• MSc Planning 
• MSc Urban Regeneration and Development
• MSc Environmental Impact Assessment and Management
• MSc Global Urban Development and Planning 
• MSc Real Estate Development
• MSc Real Estate Asset Management
• PhD Planning and Environmental Management
• PhD Architecture

For information on how to apply for funding, please visit our How to Apply page.

Pathway Representatives

Contact details for Planning and Environment Pathway Representatives at each institution can be found here

Current Planning and Environment NWSSDTP students

David Mountain (2017 Cohort)

• University of Manchester
• Website: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/david.mountain.html
• Email Address: david.mountain@manchester.ac.uk
• MethodsX Stream: Archives, Collections and Documents of Life

New towns for inner cities: dynamics of 20th century urbanisation in the London Docklands 1976-85

My aim is to interrogate ideological shifts in 1970s-80s Britain and their bearing upon urban theory today. I do this by analysing the end of the New Towns programme in the context of “inner-city crisis” in the mid-1970s; and by tracing the vestiges of new towns principles and practice in the Thatcher government’s strategy for the reconstruction of London’s Docklands.

Sarah Coleman (2020 Cohort)

• Manchester University
• Email Address: Sarah.coleman-2@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
• Website: www.linkedin.com/in/sjcoleman/

Investigation into benefits governance in major government projects

This research examines the reality of benefits realisation through the lens of UK government major projects.

It will add to the theoretical and practical understanding of the considerations and challenges involved in the planning and execution of these activities at the back-end of projects, particularly boundary spanning between the temporary project-based organisation and the permanent functional-based organisation.

Planning and Environment NWSSDTP Alumni

Pending