- Transportation and Mobility Studies: Sustainable and healthy urban mobility; active travel; walking, cycling and micromobilities; environmental impacts; health and wellbeing; democratic and liveable spaces; everyday travel decisions and journey practice and experience.
- Diversity and Social Justice: Urban diversity and equalities; mobility and diversity; territorial stigmatisation; the French banlieue; European urban policy.
- Governance and Democracy: Urban policy and governance; public participation; community empowerment; neighbourhood planning; sub-national governance.
- Housing Policy: Informal housing in the global south, low income housing, housing policy, affordable housing, housing market, private rented sector, housing mobility, housing for older people, housing and health care
- Local and Regional Economic Development: Urban regeneration, community engagement.
- Arts and Culture in Urban Development
- Development and Urbanisation: Land conflicts; urban and peri-urban transformations; global citizenship; informal housing markets; home based enterprises in unplanned settlements; pro poor infrastructure delivery; urban diversity and equalities.
- Strategic Planning: Sub-regions and city-regions; soft spaces; spatial imaginaries; infrastructure planning; planning for growth.
- Planning History: Garden cities; transnationalism in planning thought; planning ideas and ideology.
Planning, Policy and Governance (PPG)
Group Leader(s): Professor Dave Valler
Contact: dvaller@brookes.ac.uk
About us
PPG focuses on the political and governmental practices of producing, maintaining and transforming space. With 16 staff members (12 core staff), we combine academic and practitioner interests, policy studies and practice-oriented research, and a commitment to develop planning theory and practice.
Specialist and interdisciplinary research themes including:
- Transportation and Mobility Studies
- Diversity and Social Justice
- Governance and Democracy
- Housing Policy
- Local and Regional Economic Development
- Development and Urbanisation
- Strategic Planning
- Planning History
Related courses
- Built Environment (MPhil / PhD / PhD by Published Work)
- Infrastructure Planning and Sustainable Development (MSc / PGDip / PGCert)
- Construction Project Management (BSc (Hons))
- Spatial Planning (MSc)
- Historic Conservation (MSc / PGDip)
- Property Development and Planning (BSc (Hons))
- Real Estate (BSc (Hons))
- Urban Design, Planning and Development (BA (Hons))
Research impact

Our research has long been recognised for its real-world impact. It influences many spheres including public policy, professional practice and commercial activities, and there is ongoing engagement with stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors. Examples include:
- Professor Tim Jones’ work on older people’s experience of cycling in UK cities and how this affects their independence, health and wellbeing
- Dr Naomi Luhde Thompson’s research on environmental law and activity with the campaign group Rights: Community: Action which has successfully challenged government policy on net zero developments
- Professor Dave Valler’s research on the Oxford-Cambridge Arc which has contributed to a deeper understanding of the constraints and opportunities of planning for this area.
Leadership

Professor Dave Valler
Professor of Spatial Planning