Research and Consultancy

Spatial planning and urban design for sustainable development

The Centre carries out research and offers consultancy in community responsive spatial planning and urban design at all scales - local, district, city-wide or regional, with the use of appropriate computer-based tools such as locally based and generated Geospatial Data Infrastructures (GDI), satellite imaging and GPS surveying. The following projects have been carried out or are under way.

Kaduna Master Plan Revision and Mapping (2008)

This study, commissioned by the Government, Nigeria, is a of the current Master Plan, Kaduna: A Survey and Plan of the Capital Territory for the Government of Northern Nigeria, written and produced by Max Lock and Mike Theis of Max Lock and Partners in 1967. The study is divided into phases and coordinated by Max Lock Consultancy Nigeria Ltd (MLCN) of Kaduna consortium Benna Associates, Zaria and Triad Associates, Kaduna. The Interim report was completed in December 2008. Click here to download the report.

Sustainable Adamawa Development (2007)

The scoping report provides an overview of the current physical and economic status of Adamawa State in Nigeria, and a concise baseline for the new Administration to undertake its vision for the development of the State.  It will enable the Government to ‘plan the planning’ of a viable and sustainable development model, suggest entry points for interventions and flag up pertinent constraints and opportunities. It is the first stage in a major 3-year urban and regional planning study and capacity building programme to be carried out by the Centre and the Max Lock Consultancy Nigeria.

Mapping Urbanisation for Urban and Regional Governance (2003)

This study examined the use of remote sensing low-cost data in building capacity for urban planning and management. The aim was to develop an easy-to-use mapping methodology to inform poverty-focused, local and regional development strategies, improve local planning practice. It involved researchers in Brazil, Nigeria and Pakistan. The methodologies explained in this DFID-funded study are currently being put into practice in Nigeria.

Good Practice in Core Areas Development (1997 - 2001)

DFID-funded research exploring how low-income communities could live close to the source of their livelihoods in integrated urban redevelopment projects in the core areas of rapidly growing cities in the developing world. Conducted partnership with researchers in India, Indonesia, Egypt and Brazil, it produced a number of outputs and tools. These included a Guide to Good Practice - A participatory approach to core area development.

EU Study on Urban Design for Sustainability (2004)

Tony Lloyd-Jones provided international consultancy to a Working Group on Urban Design for Sustainability producing recommendations to the  European Commission on its Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment. The report identifies models and strategies of good practice in urban design for sustainability in EU and EU-accession countries. Click here to download this report.

Participatory Urban Design Workshop, Porto de Galinhas, Brazil (2004)

Tony Lloyd-Jones joined other international and local partners from the Federal University of Pernambuco and representatives of the local community in a 4-day workshop in June 2004 in this small resort in the northeast of Brazil. Working together in an urban design charrette, they carried out an analysis of the problems facing the town and explored longer term physical strategies for its sustainable development.

Urban and Rural Change in Developing Countries: A Presentation to DFID Sustainable Development Retreat (2004)

This project, in partnership with CASA-UCL, produced a multimedia presentation of urban and rural change in developing countries. The emphasis is on the way physical and spatial development in both urban and rural areas responds to contemporary drivers of economic change.

Computers in Urban Spatial Planning: A Guide to research for developing world applications (1996)

A joint research project with UCL and University of Nottingham, which reviews the state of the art in the use of computer techniques in urban spatial planning. It provides guidelines in the application of techniques to the particular conditions existing in developing world cities.

Improving local governance for development and Disaster Risk Reduction

Creating multi-stakeholder partnerships between local government, communities and other key actors (See also Training). Developing good practice through partnerships and developing tools for improved local governance.

Study Visit on Community-Managed Development Initiatives with the Balochistan Provincial Government of Pakistan (2007)

The study visit provided a one week training programme to delegates from the Provincial Government of Balochistan in Pakistan as part of an Asian Development Bank funded project providing community facilities as part of a major provincial road building programme. The visit involved visits to exemplars of community-led and managed development in London (See also Training).

Localising the Habitat Agenda and the MDGs for Urban Poverty Reduction: with UN-Habitat (2001 - 2005)

The Habitat Agenda provides a key tool for urban poverty reduction through local development. This DFID-funded research was conducted in partnership with researchers in Brazil, India, Kenya, Spain, Tanzania and Pakistan. Alongside 6 country case studies on national implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the research explored 12 case studies of local good practice in development for urban poverty reduction.

Mind the Gap! Post-disaster reconstruction and the transition from humanitarian relief (2006) 

The study funded by the RICS produced a report that deals with issues of long-term recovery from natural disasters and the perceived gap between humanitarian relief, and efforts focused on reconstruction and the longer-term rehabilitation of affected households and communities. Click here to download this report from RICS website.

Tony Lloyd-Jones is currently a member of the RICS President's Commission on Major Disaster Management.

Development from Disasters Network (2006 to date)

The Centre participates in the Steering Committee of this network founded originally as the Tsunami Recovery Network in January 2005 shortly after that Indian Ocean Tsunami disaster. The expanded Development from Disasters Network monitors the recovery process and is committed to lobby for a community-responsive, sustainable rehabilitation of all disaster affected regions. MLC designed and manages its website. http://www.development-from-disasters.net/ (See also Website Creation).

Sustainable development and management of local buildings and physical infrastructure

This research aims to enable the inherent skills and resources of communities to be mobilised in the planning, design, management, maintenance, evaluation and renewal of their physical assets.

Retrofitting Soho – Improving the Sustainability of Historic Core Areas (2007 - 2008)

The scoping study aims to identify the challenges and suggest possible solutions to improve the sustainability of the Soho area in London, focusing in particular on the historic building fabric. It is an area-based study that highlights the issues that confront retrofitting existing historic areas and illustrates these through case studies and examples of good practice.

See also University of Westminster News 16 December 2008 - Soho looks set to become more sustainable thanks to Westminster research

‘Life’ project (2007)

Ripin Kalra provided consultancy to Baca Architects in 2005 in developing The Life Project to explore innovative ways to tackle flooding and climate change through the built environment. The project will see the development of a set of generic principles and guide book to integrate ecological flood mitigation with truly sustainable development. Click http://www.lifeproject.info/ to view the project website

Building Capacity for Community Asset Management (2000 - 2005)

The two related research projects (South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa) on building capacity for the management, life-time planning and physical maintenance of community assets in the built environment, in particular school and health buildings. This DFID-funded research was conducted in partnership with the Human Settlements Management Institute in Delhi, India, and with Commonwealth professional associations in South Africa, Kenya and Malawi, The research project resulted in the publication by MLC Press in 2005 of ‘The Rough Guide to Community Asset Management’.

Poverty reduction in developing countries: low-income housing, sustainable livelihoods and local economic development

Research on community-centred local development with a focus on poverty reduction through improved low-income housing and building sustainable livelihoods.

Development of a Housing Association model of Housing Management for Jakarta (2006)

As part of the UN-Habitat programme on the Slum Upgrading Facility (SUF), the project explores the use of a housing association model as an institutional framework for implementing the SUF project in Indonesia and its application in the development of the Karet Tengsin area of Jakarta, which is a priority site for the city’s housing agency. The team comprised Tony Lloyd-Jones, Budhi Mulyawan and Dr Judith Allen, Principal Lecturer in the Department of Urban Development and Regeneration

UN-Habitat Slum Upgrading Facility: Field Testing Design Instruments in Indonesia (2007)

The project identifies the most feasible, ‘bankable’ projects that would meet the central objective of the SUF programme to mobilize domestic capital for slum up-grading projects by packaging the financial, technical and political elements so that they can attract commercial finance. The study explores case studies in Yogyakarta and Jakarta in Indonesia.

Making a Living in the Street (2003 - 2005)

Tony Lloyd-Jones provided inputs into a DFID-funded study led by Cardiff University with the University of Birmingham exploring guidelines for planning and management of street space to facilitate informal trading as part of a sustainable livelihoods approach.

Tracing the Experience and Movement of Poor Households over the Long Term (2002)

Study carried out in Kaduna, Nigeria by Dr Mike Theis as part of a wider DFID-funded study led by the Development Planning Unit, University College London. This examined in depth the long-term sustainability of Poverty Reduction Programmes as part of an effort to reach a common methodology that will become a standard for a wide series of longitudinal studies planned by the World Bank over the coming years.

Knowledge management and dissemination

MLC is committed to effective knowledge management and exchange – both in dissemination of its own outputs and in helping to empower disadvantaged communities through better access to knowledge resources.

Connecting Flights: Architectural Links (2002 - 2003)

The project focuses on an architectural exchange programme between TVB School of Habitat Studies, New Delhi, India, and the University of Westminster, London, UK. Cross-national interaction builds the teachers’ capacity to teach students from a wide cultural background. The process attracted the attention and financial support of other organizations such as the British Council.

Improving Knowledge Transfer (1998 - 2001)

The DFID-funded research drew on the experience of the international development research community to improve research communication between the researcher and the principle interest groups in the urban development process. The emphasis is on how the poor learn and communicate, and the ways in which they could access existing and new knowledge on community development. The research resulted in a series of web-based and printed guidance notes.