PLAN40010 Planning Methodology

Academic Year 2022/2023

Planning methodology is concerned with the array of methods and techniques which planners use to inform decision-making at strategic and development management level. The formulation of national, regional and local plans requires planners to have a good working knowledge of how to gather, interpret and forecast key socio-economic information; to set strategic options; to appraise the plan environmentally and to set indicators for performance measurement. With regard to development management, techniques such as environmental impact assessment and retail impact assessment allow planners to evaluate the likely impact of development proposals. The module thus seeks to introduce students to, and develop a proficiency in, some of the main practical methods and means by which planners seek to achieve the goals they have set. Extensive reading of the academic and policy literature is required.Thus, the aim of this module is to familiarise students with a range of commonly used planning methods and techniques. The module focuses on four key areas of planning methodology: 1) Demographic analysis and population forecasting 2) Analysis of housing need, demand and affordability 3) Retail planning; town centre health checks and retail strategies and 4) Environmental Assessment. The modiuel is delivered, in the main, by professional planners working in policy and practice.