Design governance, austerity and the public interest: Planning and the delivery of 'well-designed places' in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland

Richardson, R. and White, J. T. (2021) Design governance, austerity and the public interest: Planning and the delivery of 'well-designed places' in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Planning Theory and Practice, 22(4), pp. 572-594. (doi: 10.1080/14649357.2021.1958911)

Abstract

This paper considers how planning authorities can achieve urban design ambitions in the context of deepening neoliberalism and fiscal austerity. Based upon a case study of West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, the paper reveals the innovative steps taken by the local authority to introduce new design governance tools in the face of significant resource constraints. The paper critically examines the role that the private sector plays in the governance of design and argues for a reconceptualisation of design governance that more rigorously attends to the challenge of delivering well-designed places in the public interest.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was co-funded by a supervisor-led Collaborative Doctoral Scholarship awarded by the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science, the Economic and Social Research Council’s Doctoral Training Partnership in Scotland, and West Dunbartonshire Council.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: White, Professor James and Richardson, Dr Robert
• Authors: Richardson, R., and White, J. T.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies; College of Social Sciences
• Journal Name: Planning Theory and Practice
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1464-9357
• ISSN (Online): 1470-000X
• Published Online: 05 August 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Planning Theory and Practice 22(4): 572-594
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
303166		Scottish Graduate School Science Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)	Mary Beth Kneafsey	Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)	ES/P000681/1	SS - Academic & Student Administration