KA5018 - Urban Planning and Development

You will learn through lectures, seminars and independent learning. In addition, directed tasks will enhance your learning and will include, as an example, attending a planning committee and conducting a site appraisal of a real development site. The lectures will cover theory and concepts, case study material and exemplars, including guest lectures from planning/development practitioners who are dealing with contemporary planning issues. Seminars are designed to allow you to explore issues raised in lectures and background reading in greater depth. Directed and independent learning tasks will be set each week to allow you to explore the module material through group discussions, debates and individual exploration of topics.

If you are in employment your workplace will be the main learning environment, in effect acting as a framework for urban planning and development. However, tutor support will be available via drop-in sessions throughout the module study period. If you are in employment it is recognised that there is the need for modes of blended learning delivery, experiential assessment, and opportunities to combine work and study through independent study, embedded learning opportunities, and relevant communications technologies. Lecture capture will be used to elaborate on the content contained in any teaching material along with audio recording and notes to support presentations on key topics.

Support will include formative feedback from tutors during small-group seminars and one-to-one sessions (via the Department’s open door policy). In addition tutors will use the module’s discussion boards and blogs on the University’s eLearning Portal, to respond to frequently asked questions, so that the whole module group can benefit from advice and guidance. Time will be set aside in lectures and seminars to provide opportunities for Q&A on assignments and formative feedback will be provided. Work will be submitted electronically via the eLearning Portal.

If you are in employment your workplace will be the main learning environment, however, tutor support will be available via drop-in sessions throughout the module study period. The eLP, telephone and email will be used as a means of communication once the initial briefings have taken place and work-based visits will be made by tutors if appropriate.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
• ML01: Review and explain the national and sub-national planning policies intended to deliver sustainable development;
• ML02: Critically evaluate the processes of development management to regulate the planning and development process;
• ML03: Appraise the sometimes-competing objectives and resulting tensions of the different actors/stakeholders in the planning and development process.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• ML04: Develop practical skills of analysing and comprehending policy and applying it to real case studies

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• ML05: Demonstrate the capacity for independent, evidence based thinking and decision making in relational to real world planning issues

Formative assessment: tasks, particularly within the seminar sessions, will provide formative feedback that will assist in consolidating your learning as you move through the module.

Summative assessment: There is one assessment for this module.

The assessment will be a professional report based on selecting one application from a range of live planning applications currently being assessed by a Local Planning Authority - to study in depth (assesses MLOs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5).

The coursework will be submitted, assessed and feedback provided to you online.

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The City of Newcastle and its surrounding regions will be used as our ‘urban laboratory’ to explore contemporary city-region planning and development issues.

Newcastle is a wonderful example of how historic layers of development combine to produce a modern city (the grandeur of Grainger Town, the brutalism of the 1960s re-development, the regenerated Quayside and evolving revitalised historic quarters of the City, e.g. Stephenson Quarter, East Pilgrim Street, Ouseburn, etc.). This setting enables students to develop a focussed, robust understanding of the, history, aims, drivers and tensions within the UK planning system and in so doing provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of the evolution of contemporary planning.

The module will enable you to develop an appreciation of how planning interacts with development activity, by applying theories and policies from contemporary planning case studies and applying these to live case studies.

Current planning and development practitioners will provide insights and tacit knowledge from the ‘frontline’ of planning and development practice. This module is designed to replicate the skills, knowledge and aptitudes that planning and development practitioners need to possess to operate effectively in ‘real world’ real estate markets.

The module contributes to programme learning outcomes by developing your comprehension and critical thinking skills. If you are in employment your workplace will act as a framework for urban planning and development to develop your ability to critically appraise policies and academic theories and concepts.