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Empirical research has long shown positive connections between urban green spaces and their users’ wellbeing. But compelling evidence does not always lead to appropriate investment. In a study of the contribution of urban nature to mental wellbeing in Sheffield, UK, the authors identified greenspace investments that could lead to improved wellbeing and discussed their implementation with local stakeholders. However, this qualitative study also revealed a series of reasons why stakeholders in Sheffield would not proceed with such investments. Using the concept of ‘logics of inaction’ to examine stakeholders’ reasoning, this paper considers why such logics arise. It finds a mismatch between available evidence and the evidence practitioners say they need to justify investments. One consequence is that practitioners’ capacity to act on new knowledge is reduced, limiting innovation and potential benefits.
Julian Dobson; Nicola Dempsey. Known but not done: how logics of inaction limit the benefits of urban green spaces. Landscape Research 2021, 46, 390 -402.
AMA StyleJulian Dobson, Nicola Dempsey. Known but not done: how logics of inaction limit the benefits of urban green spaces. Landscape Research. 2021; 46 (3):390-402.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJulian Dobson; Nicola Dempsey. 2021. "Known but not done: how logics of inaction limit the benefits of urban green spaces." Landscape Research 46, no. 3: 390-402.
With rapid urbanisation has come changes to Ahmedabad’s spatial form, including the decision to transform eleven kilometres of the city’s monsoon river into a Riverfront. The Sabarmati Riverfront project is extensive in scale and ambition, and emerged with strong political support for the ‘environmental improvement … and urban rejuvenation project’. However, exactly how the project has improved and rejuvenated the river is unclear. Mindful of how rivers in India constitute important cultural heritage, in this article we aim to examine how the policy rhetoric behind the Sabarmati Riverfront project was implemented in practice and experienced in real life.
Nicola Dempsey; C. L. Martinez Velarde; Mercy Samuel; Yugasha Bakshi; Manvita Baradi. From river to Riverfront: how meanings and cultural heritage change. The case of the Sabarmati Riverfront project, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Town Planning Review 2020, 91, 643 -666.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey, C. L. Martinez Velarde, Mercy Samuel, Yugasha Bakshi, Manvita Baradi. From river to Riverfront: how meanings and cultural heritage change. The case of the Sabarmati Riverfront project, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Town Planning Review. 2020; 91 (6):643-666.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey; C. L. Martinez Velarde; Mercy Samuel; Yugasha Bakshi; Manvita Baradi. 2020. "From river to Riverfront: how meanings and cultural heritage change. The case of the Sabarmati Riverfront project, Ahmedabad, Gujarat." Town Planning Review 91, no. 6: 643-666.
As both a reflection on the book and a proposal for next steps, this chapter emphasises the importance of context in its widest (social, cultural, political, ecological, economic…) sense when seeking to understand the limits to many urban green spaces’ positive contributions to human wellbeing. Exploring the mismatch between policy rhetoric, practice on the ground and lived experience, Dempsey and Dobson underline the significance of political buy-in which does not always result in the ‘best’ urban green space for the people who live there. The chapter, and the book overall, aims to contribute a nuanced understanding of challenges faced by decision-makers involved in the cross-sector and cross-disciplinary domain of ‘healthy urban green spaces’, which are context-specific and often constrained by longstanding organisational rules and practices. We reflect on how the time is ripe to revisit and question some of these rule-bound behaviours and procedures in order to institute appropriate codes, cultures and knowledge to underpin urban green space management in the twenty-first century.
Nicola Dempsey; Julian Dobson. Realigning Knowing and Doing: An Agenda for Reflection and Action. Ecoregional Green Roofs 2020, 189 -196.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey, Julian Dobson. Realigning Knowing and Doing: An Agenda for Reflection and Action. Ecoregional Green Roofs. 2020; ():189-196.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey; Julian Dobson. 2020. "Realigning Knowing and Doing: An Agenda for Reflection and Action." Ecoregional Green Roofs , no. : 189-196.
This chapter outlines the lack of examination of practical attempts to implement policy rhetoric into practice. With a focus on the long-term management of urban green space, this chapter discusses the longstanding gap between what we know about green space and what we do in practice. It will look in detail at the citywide green and open space strategy and the green space regeneration funding programme as two mechanisms for implementing rhetoric. These are both commonly used in cities around the world but are rarely evaluated for their effectiveness, often because practitioners simply do not have the time. But the reasons why we don’t evaluate are wider than this, encompassing factors of understanding context, using tacit knowledge and how we deal with the concept of failure. The chapter concludes by discussing the wide range of challenges that are faced when conducting this type of post-occupancy evaluation and considers how academics and practitioners can best address these challenges.
Nicola Dempsey. Measuring the Gap Between Rhetoric and Practice: Examining Urban Green Space Interventions Post-implementation. Ecoregional Green Roofs 2020, 167 -187.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey. Measuring the Gap Between Rhetoric and Practice: Examining Urban Green Space Interventions Post-implementation. Ecoregional Green Roofs. 2020; ():167-187.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey. 2020. "Measuring the Gap Between Rhetoric and Practice: Examining Urban Green Space Interventions Post-implementation." Ecoregional Green Roofs , no. : 167-187.
Nicola Dempsey; Julian Dobson. Planning for sociable green spaces after COVID-19. Town Planning Review 2020, ahead-of-p, 1 -9.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey, Julian Dobson. Planning for sociable green spaces after COVID-19. Town Planning Review. 2020; ahead-of-p ():1-9.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey; Julian Dobson. 2020. "Planning for sociable green spaces after COVID-19." Town Planning Review ahead-of-p, no. : 1-9.
There is growing interest in understanding the benefits of parks and green space in financial terms, particularly from policymakers and decision–makers. Applying a financial value is an increasingly popular practice designed to communicate urban green space benefits to budget holders. This is pertinent for local governments who routinely struggle to secure funding for parks, given their non-statutory status around the world. To address this, it is perhaps inevitable that the application of a wide range of funding models to parks is being explored. However, there is little empirical evidence that users and residents share this sentiment. This paper aims to address this gap in knowledge by exploring how feasible and acceptable such income generation practices are for stakeholders directly involved in using and managing parks. We asked local residents, parks managers, community groups and academics in one northern English city how feasible and acceptable they considered different income generation practices if applied to their local parks. The findings show that overall, income generated by cafés and organised events were considered acceptable by residents but to a lesser extent by community groups and professionals. Voluntary donations, car parking and increased taxation were considered unacceptable by all stakeholders, while using the planning system to secure funding was considered acceptable. The findings suggest a variety of acceptable, context-specific income-generating practices which may help stakeholders to address pragmatically the current challenges of managing urban parks.
Jinvo Nam; Nicola Dempsey. Acceptability of income generation practices in 21st century urban park management: The case of city district parks. Journal of Environmental Management 2020, 264, 109948 .
AMA StyleJinvo Nam, Nicola Dempsey. Acceptability of income generation practices in 21st century urban park management: The case of city district parks. Journal of Environmental Management. 2020; 264 ():109948.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJinvo Nam; Nicola Dempsey. 2020. "Acceptability of income generation practices in 21st century urban park management: The case of city district parks." Journal of Environmental Management 264, no. : 109948.
This chapter examines Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the largest new park to be created in the UK for over a century. In the chapter, we study the way in which this high-profile park in London is managed via a long-term contract-based partnership and explore how the 2012 Olympic Games legacy has a bearing on management arrangements. Calling on interviews with stakeholders, we show how the governance structure is underpinned by a decentralised approach to parks management responsibilities. Our chapter contributes to a gap in knowledge around the “thin client model” and long-term partnership-based contracts which this Park adopts, which are distinct from the typical parks management arrangements around the world which are traditionally delivered by in-house public sector parks departments or with specific tasks contracted out to a private contractor.
Nicola Dempsey; C. L. Martínez Velarde; Mel Burton. Long-Term Partnership Contracting in Practice: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. Marketization in Local Government 2019, 225 -240.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey, C. L. Martínez Velarde, Mel Burton. Long-Term Partnership Contracting in Practice: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. Marketization in Local Government. 2019; ():225-240.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey; C. L. Martínez Velarde; Mel Burton. 2019. "Long-Term Partnership Contracting in Practice: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London." Marketization in Local Government , no. : 225-240.
This chapter outlines how marketization has been driving public service delivery in England since the late 1970s in efforts to increase competition and enhance service quality. We chart the enduring legacy of Compulsory Competitive Tendering which was introduced in the 1980s to ensure that a competitive process was followed by local authorities in public service procurement. We also highlight policy responses to CCT in the 1990s, such as Strategic Commissioning, which permitted other non-governmental actors to become involved in public service delivery. While our findings show that non-governmental actors increasingly carry out parks maintenance, this is not reflected in the distribution of the budgets, which continue to be dominated by in-house local authority providers and private contractors. This chapter therefore provides new evidence of the shifts in parks and roads maintenance in England towards shared responsibilities between different combinations of local authorities, private, third sector and voluntary actors.
Nicola Dempsey; Mel Burton; Johanna Selin. In-House, Contracted Out…or Something Else? Parks and Road Management in England. Marketization in Local Government 2019, 101 -116.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey, Mel Burton, Johanna Selin. In-House, Contracted Out…or Something Else? Parks and Road Management in England. Marketization in Local Government. 2019; ():101-116.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey; Mel Burton; Johanna Selin. 2019. "In-House, Contracted Out…or Something Else? Parks and Road Management in England." Marketization in Local Government , no. : 101-116.
Policymakers and practitioners working in urban greenspace management want to know what kind of interventions are effective in promoting mental wellbeing. In practice, however, they rely on multiple forms of knowledge, often in unwritten form. This paper considers how such knowledge is interpreted and used by a range of stakeholders to identify greenspace interventions to support residents’ health and wellbeing in one UK city. It examines the interface between academic research, policy and practice, drawing on the findings of a three-year study in Sheffield, UK. The Improving Wellbeing through the Urban Nature project investigated the links between ‘urban nature’ and mental health. One strand of the research sought to influence policy and practice, and this article presents findings and reflects on some of the processes of this exercise. It highlights the role of tacit knowledge in practice and its influence on practitioners’ choice of greenspace interventions and the challenges in drawing on such knowledge to influence policy. The findings affirm practice-based knowledge as socially situated, interpretively fashioned and politically weighted. This paper concludes by demonstrating the importance of considering the local context when devising policy prescriptions for greenspace provision and management.
Julian Dobson; Nicola Dempsey. Working out What Works: The Role of Tacit Knowledge Where Urban Greenspace Research, Policy and Practice Intersect. Sustainability 2019, 11, 5029 .
AMA StyleJulian Dobson, Nicola Dempsey. Working out What Works: The Role of Tacit Knowledge Where Urban Greenspace Research, Policy and Practice Intersect. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (18):5029.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJulian Dobson; Nicola Dempsey. 2019. "Working out What Works: The Role of Tacit Knowledge Where Urban Greenspace Research, Policy and Practice Intersect." Sustainability 11, no. 18: 5029.
There is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the health and well-being benefits of urban green spaces. There is less evidence on the effect of the management of such spaces on our health and well-being. This paper attempts to address this gap in knowledge by calling on empirical evidence collected in the United Kingdom (UK) city of Sheffield. Interviews conducted with professionals and community groups involved in the management of six district parks are analysed using the place-keeping analytical framework. The results highlight the overriding importance of local and national policy regarding how they inform the availability of funding, which is increasingly dependent on partnerships, and governance arrangements to contribute to a park’s maintenance, which is monitored through evaluation. The findings show how policies without funding can jeopardise the effective management of parks and how the concept of making park management a statutory service might have more traction if we consider its contribution to people’s health.
Jinvo Nam; Nicola Dempsey. Place-Keeping for Health? Charting the Challenges for Urban Park Management in Practice. Sustainability 2019, 11, 4383 .
AMA StyleJinvo Nam, Nicola Dempsey. Place-Keeping for Health? Charting the Challenges for Urban Park Management in Practice. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (16):4383.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJinvo Nam; Nicola Dempsey. 2019. "Place-Keeping for Health? Charting the Challenges for Urban Park Management in Practice." Sustainability 11, no. 16: 4383.
Parks are well-visited sites of an urban nature in our cities where users can gain positive social and ecological benefits from vegetation including trees, grass, flowering plants and shrubs. However, ongoing financial public sector budget pressure is adversely affecting the management and quality of parks in the UK, resulting in changing vegetation and planting practices. It is not clear how such changes might affect park users, indicating scope for better understanding of how planting in urban parks is perceived. This paper addresses this gap in knowledge by exploring perceptions held by users who experience vegetation in parks and those involved in the decision-making about planting therein. It examines the feasibility and acceptability of three different planting practices according to different stakeholders in Sheffield, UK. This paper calls on empirical data collected via questionnaire surveys with residents around six district parks, and interviews and focus groups with community groups and professionals to gain an understanding of stakeholders’ perceptions. The paper illustrates different attitudes towards formal and naturalistic (informal) planting, exploring a prevalent shift towards low-maintenance practices in green space management. The findings suggest a range of influences on feasibility and acceptability of planting practices, including the local park context and stakeholder perceptions of public opinion.
Jinvo Nam; Nicola Dempsey. Understanding Stakeholder Perceptions of Acceptability and Feasibility of Formal and Informal Planting in Sheffield’s District Parks. Sustainability 2019, 11, 360 .
AMA StyleJinvo Nam, Nicola Dempsey. Understanding Stakeholder Perceptions of Acceptability and Feasibility of Formal and Informal Planting in Sheffield’s District Parks. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (2):360.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJinvo Nam; Nicola Dempsey. 2019. "Understanding Stakeholder Perceptions of Acceptability and Feasibility of Formal and Informal Planting in Sheffield’s District Parks." Sustainability 11, no. 2: 360.
Much has been written about the potential contribution of citizen-science approaches to further urban environmental sustainability, and associated interventions such as nature-based solutions (NBS). Engagements between researchers and stakeholders relying on bottom-up information provision, for instance community mapping, are often purported to play a vital role in developing shared knowledge, achieving greater impact and stimulating innovation. However, relatively few studies within the realm of NBS have reported on experiences in using volunteered information, or their results. This reflects an important gap, not least because of the proliferation of proposals and bids that rely upon or integrate such methods into their approach. We report on experiences with gathering information using a ‘bottom-up’ map-based wiki tool, which effectively sought to crowd-source data, contributed by members of the public and professional stakeholders. As we approach the milestone of ‘10 years on’ from the inception of the website www.daylighting.org.uk, we reflect on our approach, the opportunities presented, constraints encountered, progress made and results delivered. This is contrasted with other resources and data-gathering projects having similar aims for different urban NBS. Findings are presented on the substantive issue of the uptake of deculverting as a particular form of NBS, including land-use contexts, scheme costs and achievement of stated objectives. Reflections are given on potential contributions of such methods in relation to other, more established approaches and new techniques in urban knowledge co-production.
T.C. Wild; N. Dempsey; A.T. Broadhead. Volunteered information on nature-based solutions — Dredging for data on deculverting. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 2018, 40, 254 -263.
AMA StyleT.C. Wild, N. Dempsey, A.T. Broadhead. Volunteered information on nature-based solutions — Dredging for data on deculverting. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 2018; 40 ():254-263.
Chicago/Turabian StyleT.C. Wild; N. Dempsey; A.T. Broadhead. 2018. "Volunteered information on nature-based solutions — Dredging for data on deculverting." Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 40, no. : 254-263.
Urbanisation brings with it increased pressure on land and land uses, particularly green spaces. There has been considerable interest in community food growing in green spaces as part of a wide trend for gardening in the UK, which has been found to bring social, health, and well-being benefits. Such activity tends to take place in community-managed gardens and allotments. In light of the context of austerity within which local authority parks departments currently operate, this study tested the acceptability and feasibility of parks as a potential urban setting for Community Food Growing (CFG) in Sheffield, UK. Employing a combination of resident questionnaires and interviews with community groups and professionals, the study results showed localised differences in the acceptability and feasibility of CFG. Residents’ propensity to want to get involved in CFG differed by age and household composition, which, if acted on across the city, could significantly change the demographic make-up of parks-based community groups in the city. Barriers to CFG in parks were described by community groups and park managers as security and vandalism, need for resources, and undue pressure on the local authority as land-owner. We discuss the emergent questions around who is best placed to manage urban parks, particularly when the public sector is subject to stringent austerity budget measures. The paper concludes with commentary and recommendations about the importance of governance arrangements if CFG is to be included as part of the activities supported and managed in urban parks.
Jinvo Nam; Nicola Dempsey. Community Food Growing in Parks? Assessing the Acceptability and Feasibility in Sheffield, UK. Sustainability 2018, 10, 2887 .
AMA StyleJinvo Nam, Nicola Dempsey. Community Food Growing in Parks? Assessing the Acceptability and Feasibility in Sheffield, UK. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (8):2887.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJinvo Nam; Nicola Dempsey. 2018. "Community Food Growing in Parks? Assessing the Acceptability and Feasibility in Sheffield, UK." Sustainability 10, no. 8: 2887.
In the pursuit of sustainable and liveable cities, Indian built environment practitioners and policy-makers are understandably focused on aspects of infrastructure, sanitation and health, given the significant urban problems of pollution and environmental degradation. However, there is limited empirical examination of Indian towns and cities as changing urban landscapes. To explore this, the paper examines the rivers in two rapidly urbanising Indian cities. It calls on interviews with practitioners, residents and users in Madurai and Ahmedabad, focusing on access and use of the river to explore social and environmental equity. The findings suggest that free, public and safe access to the rivers have reduced over time in both cities, for different reasons. Perceived environmental quality of both rivers has also worsened and the associated cultural meanings, held by riparian users, have changed. We suggest that urban river infrastructure should be reconceptualised to explore the feasibility and acceptability of a more holistic approach to understanding Indian riparian urban landscapes.
Nicola Dempsey; Smriti Rabina Jayaraj; Emily Redmond. There’s always the river: social and environmental equity in rapidly urbanising landscapes in India. Landscape Research 2017, 43, 275 -288.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey, Smriti Rabina Jayaraj, Emily Redmond. There’s always the river: social and environmental equity in rapidly urbanising landscapes in India. Landscape Research. 2017; 43 (3):275-288.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey; Smriti Rabina Jayaraj; Emily Redmond. 2017. "There’s always the river: social and environmental equity in rapidly urbanising landscapes in India." Landscape Research 43, no. 3: 275-288.
Nicola Dempsey. A Review of “The Routledge handbook of planning for health and well-being: shaping a sustainable and healthy future”, Edited by Hugh Barton, Susan Thompson, Sarah Burgess and Marcus Grant. International Journal of Housing Policy 2017, 17, 157 -159.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey. A Review of “The Routledge handbook of planning for health and well-being: shaping a sustainable and healthy future”, Edited by Hugh Barton, Susan Thompson, Sarah Burgess and Marcus Grant. International Journal of Housing Policy. 2017; 17 (1):157-159.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey. 2017. "A Review of “The Routledge handbook of planning for health and well-being: shaping a sustainable and healthy future”, Edited by Hugh Barton, Susan Thompson, Sarah Burgess and Marcus Grant." International Journal of Housing Policy 17, no. 1: 157-159.
Purpose – Different models have been adopted in England over time to organise public service delivery. The purpose of this paper is to explore contracting-out, a prevalent model of public service delivery in England, in relation to parks and roads maintenance delivery by examining private contractors’ performance according to local authority stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – Since the Conservative Government was in power during the 1980s, local authorities have been an arena for experimentation of contracting-out to private and other sectors. This paper provides a review of the academic and grey literature, and findings are presented from a large-scale online questionnaire survey (n=103) which was distributed to the relevant public realm managers in English local authorities. Findings – The paper shows that contracting-out of parks and roads maintenance happens across the country in different ways. By and large, local authorities are satisfied with the performance of contractors, particularly as a response to economic constraints. Responsibilities, particularly for parks, are increasingly shared with non-governmental organisations, including community groups, although this is not reflected in budget distribution. Research limitations/implications – Despite the efforts, the response rate was relatively low (32 per cent), potentially due to the e-mail communication and online nature of the questionnaire. Originality/value – The research provides empirical evidence about how contracting-out is currently delivering public services and how it has changed in recent years. The findings suggest that responsibilities (and to a lesser extent, budgets) are increasingly shared in England between different combinations of public, private, third and community sector stakeholders. This marks a shift away from in-house public sector delivery of parks and roads services.
Nicola Dempsey; Mel Burton; Johanna Selin. Contracting out parks and roads maintenance in England. International Journal of Public Sector Management 2016, 29, 441 -456.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey, Mel Burton, Johanna Selin. Contracting out parks and roads maintenance in England. International Journal of Public Sector Management. 2016; 29 (5):441-456.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey; Mel Burton; Johanna Selin. 2016. "Contracting out parks and roads maintenance in England." International Journal of Public Sector Management 29, no. 5: 441-456.
Nicola Dempsey; Mel Burton; Rosie Duncan. Evaluating the effectiveness of a cross-sector partnership for green space management: The case of Southey Owlerton, Sheffield, UK. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 2016, 15, 155 -164.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey, Mel Burton, Rosie Duncan. Evaluating the effectiveness of a cross-sector partnership for green space management: The case of Southey Owlerton, Sheffield, UK. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 2016; 15 ():155-164.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey; Mel Burton; Rosie Duncan. 2016. "Evaluating the effectiveness of a cross-sector partnership for green space management: The case of Southey Owlerton, Sheffield, UK." Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 15, no. : 155-164.
The provision of recreational opportunities forms an important and long-standing urban planning and management objective. However, considering a range of experiences encountered when in such spaces currently does not form part of existing open space assessment tools in the UK. In this paper, 'rec-mapping', an innovative method of analysing and mapping positive recreational experiences in urban green spaces, is explored and piloted within the UK planning context. Originating in the Nordic countries, this on-site method can provide urban planners and designers with data about the extent to which specific green spaces provide and support a range of recreational experiences. The exploration reported here is based on a short review of the method's background and an application in two test sites in Sheffield, south Yorkshire, in early summer 2010. This paper critically appraises the application of rec-mapping at smaller spatial scales and recommends further explorations within the UK planning context, as the method adds to existing open space assessment by providing a unique layer of information to analyse more fully the recreational qualities of urban green spaces.
Andrej Christian Lindholst; Nicola Dempsey; Mel Burton. Introducing a method for mapping recreational experience. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning 2013, 166, 296 -308.
AMA StyleAndrej Christian Lindholst, Nicola Dempsey, Mel Burton. Introducing a method for mapping recreational experience. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning. 2013; 166 (5):296-308.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndrej Christian Lindholst; Nicola Dempsey; Mel Burton. 2013. "Introducing a method for mapping recreational experience." Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning 166, no. 5: 296-308.
Nicola Dempsey; Mel Burton. Defining place-keeping: The long-term management of public spaces. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 2012, 11, 11 -20.
AMA StyleNicola Dempsey, Mel Burton. Defining place-keeping: The long-term management of public spaces. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 2012; 11 (1):11-20.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Dempsey; Mel Burton. 2012. "Defining place-keeping: The long-term management of public spaces." Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 11, no. 1: 11-20.
High residential density is an important element of the compact city concept alongside mixed land uses, well-connected urban layouts, and easily accessible public transport networks. However, there is little consensus on how dense ‘high-density’ residential development should be, nor on what are the impacts of such urban environments on residents. This paper attempts to address this gap in knowledge by exploring the concept of density within the context of sustainability, calling on empirical evidence conducted in the UK by the CityForm research project. This research examined the relationship between elements of urban form (including density) and sustainability. This paper specifically makes reference to the relationship between density and aspects of social sustainability, specifically social equity (i.e. access to services and facilities), environmental equity (i.e. access to and use of green/open space) and sustainability of community (including perceptions of safety, social interaction and community stability). An extensive postal questionnaire survey and series of follow-up in-depth focus groups were conducted in a number of neighbourhoods in five UK cities to examine the hypothesis that high-density neighbourhoods were less likely to support socially sustainable behaviour and attitudes than low-density ones. The paper starts with an introductory account of density in the UK to provide the context of the study. It then defines density and the aspects of social sustainability under scrutiny and discusses the claimed relationships as well as the implications that such claims have for policy and practice. The paper then reports on the empirical research findings which examine the extent to which density has any influence on residents’ propensity to engage in socially sustainable activities. The paper concludes by critically reflecting on how the findings fit more broadly into the ‘compact city’ debate in the 21st century, where urban, and not rural, environments are home to ever-increasing populations around the world.
N. Dempsey; Caroline Brown; G. Bramley. The key to sustainable urban development in UK cities? The influence of density on social sustainability. Progress in Planning 2012, 77, 89 -141.
AMA StyleN. Dempsey, Caroline Brown, G. Bramley. The key to sustainable urban development in UK cities? The influence of density on social sustainability. Progress in Planning. 2012; 77 (3):89-141.
Chicago/Turabian StyleN. Dempsey; Caroline Brown; G. Bramley. 2012. "The key to sustainable urban development in UK cities? The influence of density on social sustainability." Progress in Planning 77, no. 3: 89-141.