RDE 410 - Environmental Equity and Urban Planning Research

The aim of this project is to provide a robust evidence base that can be used by the Environment Agency to consider how it could support the planning system to deliver better outcomes for environmental equity. It will involve a combination of quick scoping review, social research and theory of change methods:

• A quick scoping review (QSR) will identify and characterise the body of relevant academic and grey literature and provide a narrative synthesis on what it tells us about existing knowledge and thinking on planning as a mechanism for environmental equity.
• Social research methods will generate insights into the perspectives, attitudes and experiences of planning and development practitioners (including Environment Agency staff) towards environmental equity, and the challenges and opportunities to its consideration in urban planning.
• An initial Theory of Change will be developed in collaboration with Environment Agency staff, to help clarify our goal and understand the mechanisms through which to achieve our aims including the enablers, dependencies, barriers and stakeholders.