Housing
The Housing Research Network was established in 2006 to build on the work of the Housing Research Group and its predecessor the Centre for Housing management and Development. The aim of the network is to co-ordinate the wide range of research on housing in the School and elsewhere in the University and to manage the interface with policy and practice. Members of the network are concerned to apply developments in housing studies and social science to major issues of housing policy and practice. The scope of the research interests of the Network is wide, encompassing aspects of housing provision and development, as well as housing consumption and management, in both the public and private sectors. It provides a focus and capacity for international, national, regional and locally based research, stimulating an informed debate on important housing issues.
The Network has a strong tradition of research in housing policy and practice, particularly in housing management. Recently this has been broadened into a concern for public service management, as well as community regeneration, social inclusion and the interface between housing and planning policy. Members of the Network have also continued to make major contributions to housing theory, particularly the application of social constructionism to housing consumption and production.
The Network facilitates joint research with other Research Groups in the School, enabling an interdisciplinary approach to sustainable development, as well as collaborating with leading housing researchers from other UK and international Universities. Members play leading roles in the Housing Studies Association and are active in the European Network for Housing Research
The Network comprises full-time academic staff and researchers, as well as a growing number of research students, for whom the Network acts as a link between the Research Graduate School and the School of City and Regional Planning.
Progressing Priority Research Areas, Themes and Projects
Sustainability
The School has identified 'quality of life' issues with respect to environmental and social well-being as a key research priority, and the group has progressively developed its research in this area. Recent research includes a critical examination of the urban village concept in relation to sustainability (Franklin, Biddulph and Rowlands, ESRC, 2000-2001). The Group has been concerned to pursue the integration of housing and urban design research within the context of sustainable development / urban intensification / urban regeneration, and recent research has examined housing design competitions (Biddulph, Hooper and Punter, ODPM, 2003). Susan Moore is undertaking research on sustainable housebuilding.
Social Inclusion
The Network has built up a considerable body of research relating to housing management and housing allocation processes (Clapham, Smith, Franklin, Card, Shelter, 2000), and this is being continued in relation to housing allocations and exclusions and changing demand for social housing (Smith, Card and Rowlands, Shelter; NAW), and homelessness (Clapham). Within the Network, there are continuing research interests in the design, funding and management of housing for disadvantaged and minority groups (Clapham). In the field of the sociology of housing, research into perception and utilisation of housing (and tenure prejudice) is producing important theoretical developments (Gurney), which is being extended in work on embodiment and time in housing studies. Further theoretical work is being undertaken on social constructionism and housing studies including the development of the pathways approach to housing analysis (Clapham). The Network has been involved in research carried out by the Regeneration Institute into the exclusionary impacts of the steel closure programme on selected communities in Wales (Hooper, Smith, Brown), and is collaborating in a community regeneration trust initiative with a local authority (Smith, Hooper, and Card), also within the Regeneration Institute.
Governance and Planning
Research into the application of New Public Management theory to housing (Walker) and the evaluation of the impact of 'Best Value' on local government in Wales and England (Walker, NAW/WLGA & DTLR) has established strong research links with the Local and Regional Government Unit (Department of City and Regional Planning and Cardiff Business School) and the Public Service Research Unit (Cardiff Business School). Other work includes the regulation of public service organisations in the newly-devolved UK (Walker, ESRC). A new working group on housing in federal systems is being established within the European Network for Housing Research (Clapham and Smith). Members of the group have participated extensively in the development of the National Housing Strategy for Wales (Clapham and Smith) and in the development of a national spatial planning framework for Wales (Hooper). An examination of the policy agenda for housing in Wales in an era of devolution has been completed (Smith et al, 2000). The Group's work in the Regeneration Institute will take forward many of the innovatory proposals formulated in this contribution to governance and planning in a partnership context.