Dr Brian Webb

Senior Lecturer in Spatial Planning, Director of Postgraduate Studies

School of Geography and Planning

: webbb1@cardiff.ac.uk
: +44 (0)29 208 74709
: Room 2.78, Glamorgan Building

: Available for postgraduate supervision

I seek to support and challenge students by connecting theories and concepts of urban and regional studies to practice, stimulating debate about the role of planning in contemporary society, and engaging and inspiring students to achieve their full potential. To do this I draw on my current research interests related to vertical urbanisation, governance, and housing. My research interest lies less in the short-term impacts of planning on these themes but rather on the long-term outcomes of planning decisions and the ways in which current institutional structures, processes, and choices might positively or negatively frame the opportunities of future generations in relation to intergenerational equity.

I have over 10 years of experience in planning practice and research and been involved in policy-focused research for a range of public, private, and non-profit organisations. I have undertaken research with colleagues on national planning policy (2017) and strategic planning (2015) for the Welsh Government, use of household projections in Wales for the the RTPI (2015), infrastructure planning challenges in the North of England for the N8 Research Partnership (2013), planning policy coordination for the RTPI’s Map for England project (2012), research on the implications of migration and geographical mobility in European cities for EuroCities (2012), and undertaken research for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in collaboration with research teams across the four nations of the UK on the impact of the recession on housing and neighbourhood dynamics in Local Authorities (2011).

I have experience in utilising a mixed-methods approach to policy evaluation and research through the use of qualitative interviews, quantitative statistics, and the visualisation of data through geographic information systems. I have also published research on well-being and rural poverty.

Prior to working at Cardiff University, I was a researcher for the Centre for Urban Policy Studies at the University of Manchester. I also previously worked in planning practice for the City of Toronto, Canada, and the provincial Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Canada. I am an Associate Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and have previously served on the Institute’s Membership Panel.

Qualifications

PhD in Planning and Landscape, University of Manchester, UK (2011)
Bachelor in Urban and Regional Planning (Honours), Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Toronto, Canada (2007)

Career

Senior Lecturer in Spatial Planning, Cardiff University, UK (2019-present)
Lecturer in Spatial Planning, Cardiff University, UK (2014-2019)
Research Associate, University of Manchester (2010-2014)
Assistant Preservationist, City of Toronto, City Planning, Heritage Preservation Services, Toronto Canada (2006-2007)
Research Analyst, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Municipal Programs and Education Branch, Toronto, Canada (2004-2006)

Administrative Appointments

Director of Postgraduate Taught Studies, 2022-present
MSc Course Director, Spatial Planning and Development, 2018-2022
PGCert Course Director, Planning Practice, 2018-2022
Deputy Chair, Athena SWAN, 2018-present

Professional Memberships

Royal Town Planning Institute, Associate Member
Regional Studies Association, Fellow
Higher Education Academy, Fellow

External Activity

RTPI Cymru Policy and Research Forum, 2019-2023
RTPI Membership Panel, Member, 2014 - 2017
Reviewer for the journals: Urban Studies, Regional Studies, Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, Land Use Policy, Planning Theory, Journal of Planning Literature, International Planning Studies, Planning Practice and Research, Town Planning Review, Habitat International, Local Government Studies, Regional Studies/Regional Science, Canadian Journal of Regional Science, Transactions of the Association of European Schools Of Planning (AESOP), Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, Italian Journal of Planning Practice

2019

Orford, S. and Webb, B. 2019. Situating social policy analysis: Possibilities from quantitative and qualitative GIS. In: Whitworth, A. ed. Towards A Spatial Social Policy: Bridging the gap between geography and social policy. Policy Press, pp. 169-194.
Webb, B., Harris, N. and Smith, R. 2019. Rural housing delivery in Wales: How effective is rural exception site policy?. Technical Report.

2018

Orford, S. and Webb, B. 2018. Mapping the interview transcript: identifying spatial policy areas from daily working practices. Area 50(4), pp. 529-541. (10.1111/area.12408)
Harris, N., Webb, B. and Smith, R. 2018. The changing role of household projections: exploring policy conflict and ambiguity in planning for housing. Town Planning Review 89(4), pp. 403-424. (10.3828/tpr.2018.24)
Hincks, S., Kingston, R., Webb, B. and Wong, C. 2018. A new geodemographic classification of commuting flows for England and Wales. International Journal of Geographical Information Science 32(4), pp. 663-684. (10.1080/13658816.2017.1407416)

2017

Webb, B., Harris, N., Cooper, C. and Healy, A. 2017. Identification of regional areas for the National Development Framework. Project Report. Welsh Government.
Webb, B. 2017. The use of urban climatology in local climate change strategies: a comparative perspective. International Planning Studies 22(2), pp. 68-84. (10.1080/13563475.2016.1169916)
Webb, B. 2017. The production and consumption of urban-climatology science in New York City’s PlaNYC. In: Deas, I. and Hincks, S. eds. Territorial Policy and Governance: Alternative Paths. Regions and Cities Abingdon: Routledge
Webb, B. and Webber, S. 2017. The implications of condominium neighbourhoods for long-term urban revitalisation.. Cities 61, pp. 48-57. (10.1016/j.cities.2016.11.006)

2016

Milbourne, P. and Webb, B. 2016. Rural poverty and well-being: material and sociocultural disconnections. In: Phillips, R. and Wong, C. eds. Handbook of Community Well-Being Research. Springer, pp. 473-486.
Harris, N. R., Webb, B. and Smith, R. S. G. 2016. The process for developing robust housing evidence for local development plans. Project Report. [Online]. Royal Town Planning Institute. Available at: http://www.rtpi.org.uk/media/1653691/rtpi_research_briefing_household_projections_in_wales_15_january_2016.pdf

2015

Wong, C., Baker, M., Webb, B., Hincks, S. and Schulze- Baing, A. 2015. Mapping policies and programmes: the use of GIS to communicate spatial relationships in England. Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science 42(6), pp. 1020-1039. (10.1068/b130099p)
Healy, A., Burgess, S., Webb, B. and Kazmierczak, A. 2015. Exploring methods for the identification of Strategic Planning Areas. Technical Report.

2014

Wong, C. and Webb, B. 2014. Planning for infrastructure: challenges to Northern England. Town Planning Review 85(6), pp. 683-708.
Webb, B. 2014. Quality of life in the United Kingdom. In: Michalos, A. ed. Encyclopedia of Quality of Life Research. London: Springer
Wong, C., Webb, B., Schulze-Baing, A., Baker, M. and Hincks, S. 2014. Spatial synergies and conflict: Monitoring government policies and programmes in England. In: Woltjer, J., Ruth, M. and Alexander, E. eds. Evaluation in Integrated Land Use Management. Routledge, pp. 179-199.
Baker, M., Webb, B. and Wong, C. 2014. Introduction planning for infrastructure: Transitional pathways for lagging regions. Town Planning Review 85(6), pp. 679-682. (10.3828/tpr.2014.41)

2013

Hincks, S., Webb, B. and Wong, C. 2013. Fragility and recovery: housing, localities and uneven spatial development in the UK. Regional Studies 48(11), pp. 1842-1862. (10.1080/00343404.2012.761687)

2012

Deas, I., Hincks, S., Webb, B. and Schulze-Baing, A. 2012. Migration and geographical mobility in European cities. Project Report. EUROCities.
Hebbert, M. and Webb, B. 2012. Towards a liveable urban climate: Lessons from Stuttgart. In: Gossop, C. and Nan, S. eds. Liveable Cities: Urbanising World. Routledge, pp. 132-147.
Wong, C., Baker, M., Hincks, S., Schulze-Baing, A. and Webb, B. 2012. A Map for England: Spatial expression of government policies and programmes. Project Report. London: Royal Town Planning Institute.

2011

Webb, B. 2011. Federalism and the institutional dynamics of intergovernmental spatial policy coordination in Canada. PhD Thesis, University of Manchester.
Hebbert, M., Jankovic, V. and Webb, B. eds. 2011. City weathers: meteorology and urban design 1950-2010. Manchester Architecture Research Centre.
Wong, C. et al. 2011. Housing and neighbourhood monitor 2011: Fragility and recovery. Project Report. Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

2010

Webb, B. 2010. Local decline and recovery: Divergent economic performance in England. Working paper. Manchester: University of Manchester.

2008

Amborski, D. and Webb, B. 2008. Canadian approaches to depressed / underdeveloped areas: A survey of programmes. In: Cankar, S. and Sevic, Z. eds. Decentralisation and Regionalisation: The Slovenian Experience in an International Perspective. London: Greenwich University Press, pp. 25-50.

Roles

I am currently the Director of Postgraduate Taught Studies within the School.

Teaching

I broadly teach on:

Urban and regional planning
Spatial analysis/GIS
Site planning
Infrastucture and transportation
Urban governance
Public policy

Memberships/Affiliations

Member of the Spatial Planning and Analysis in City Environments Research Group
Associate Editor, Regional Studies, Regional ScienceEditorial Board Member, Urban PlanningEditorial Board Member, Frontiers in Sustainable Cities: Urban EconomicsEditorial Board Member, Transactions of the Association of European Schools Of Planning (AESOP)

Interests / Areas of Expertise

My research interests seek to explore the long-term tensions related to equity and public policy at different spatial scales through the lens of vertical urbanisation.

Recent Projects

Creating Prosperous City Centres Post Pandemic Through Repurposing Retail Space, Economic and Social Research Council, 2022-2023 PI: Shahab, S.
Measuring Planning Outcomes, Royal Town Planning Institute, 2020, PI: Harris, N.
Challenges and solutions for ageing high-rise neighbourhoods in Japan and the UK, ESRC-AHRC, 2019-2020
Understanding Welsh Places, Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, 2019, PI: Orford, S.
The Cardiff Capital Region: State of the Region, City Region Exchange, 2019
Rural housing delivery in Wales: How effective is rural exception site policy?, Royal Town Planning Institute Cymru, 2018
Identification of Regional Areas for the National Development Framework, Welsh Government, 2017
Mapping the Interview Transcript: Spatially analysing stakeholder interviews in Wales, Cardiff University – CUROP, 2017, PI: Orford, S.
Making Space of Policy: A Map for Wales, Impact Acceleration Account, Economic and Social Research Council, 2016-2017
The Cardiff Capital Region: State of the Region, City Region Exchange, 2016
The process for developing robust housing evidence for Local Development Plans, Royal Town Planning Institute Cymru, 2015-2016, PI: N. Harris
Exploring methods for the identification of Strategic Planning Areas, Welsh Government, 2015
Transportation and the socio-spatial dimensions of travel to work flows, Secondary Data Analysis, Economic and Social Research Council, 2015-2016, PI: R. Kingston

I am interested in supervising potential applicants in the areas of urban and regional planning, land use, housing, infrastructure, and governance.

Current supervision

Mirka Virtanen

Research student

Vivian Yang

Research student

Past projects

Co-Supervisor for Simon Power - How do place-based leaders use strategies to effect change? A case study of the net zero carbon challenge in UK Core cities (awarded 2022)