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 is for a new master plan for the sustainable development of Nigeria’s fifth city, in the north of the country. It revisits and reviews the earlier 1967 study produced by Max Lock and Mike Theis of Max Lock and Partners, Kaduna: A Survey and Plan of the Capital Territory for the Government of Northern Nigeria.

Max Lock Consultancy Nigeria Ltd (MLCN) carried out extensive fieldwork including a survey of more than 11,000 households. An interim report was completed in December 2008, the draft final report in 2010 and satellite image-based mapping work completed in 2013.

Read moreGo to Kaduna Master Plan Revision and Mapping page

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.

Read moreGo to Sustainable Adamawa Development page

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.

Read moreGo to Mapping Urbanisation for Urban and Regional Governance page

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.

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 north-east 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 Design Study, Piraí, Brazil (2004)

Tony Lloyd-Jones carried out an urban design study for the Municipality of Piraí in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil using GIS and other visualisation tools. This enabled local decision-makers and representatives of local communities to better understand and discuss the issues relating to physical environment and future development of this small urban-rural municipality in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Piraí has international recognition for its innovation use of IT in support of participatory local government.

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.