Research Methods Introduction This research proposal is put forward in three sections; these include a methodological statement, a preliminary

literature review and a reflection on contemporary research practice. The methodological statement will specify and justify the chosen topic area, identify a research question and some key objectives, embed these within a conceptual framework and formulate a clear methodology to address the research question. Links will be made to establish the research proposal and methodological approach within the context of a preliminary literature review. This will enable the proposal to reflect on the policy framework and academic debate surrounding the topic area and to define its contribution within the field. The proposal will reflect on contemporary research practice observed and questioned through attendance at relevant presentations/ seminars, this reflection will inform the thought process and approach taken in this research proposal. Methodological Statement Research Area This study will focus on the role of high quality urban design in regeneration. With a personal interest and passion for this topic area I hope this study will make a valuable contribution, one that can help me work towards a career in this profession. Urban design represents a contemporary debate in urban planning, with plenty of scope for new exploration (Chavan, Peralta and Steins, 2007, p73). If it can be defined as the art of making places, in its crudest sense, then it naturally lends itself to the multi-faceted discourse of urban regeneration; defined as the comprehensive and integrated vision and action which leads to the resolution of urban problems and which seeks to bring about lasting improvement in the economic, physical, social and environmental condition of an area that has been subject to change (Roberts and Sykes, 2000, p17). These two paradigms have been increasingly exchanged in tandem since the urban renaissance of the 1990s. To some extent this relationship has been institutionalised with urban designers often working inside regeneration departments. The Welsh Assembly Government propose; if successfully implemented urban design can significantly enhance the contribution of regeneration by protecting the environment and enhancing its quality, helping to attract business and investment, promoting social inclusion and improving quality of life (WAG, 2002, p32). This suggests than in addition to the visual and therefore tangible outputs of design it can also manifest itself in the wider socioeconomic aspects of regeneration. While the importance of achieving quality urban design in regeneration now transcends through policy objectives, as demonstrated later in this paper, the trajectories for defining quality, constructing local policy frameworks and the challenges that can impact delivery within in a local milieu is less clear. Newport is currently subject to an extensive regeneration programme led by Newport City Council and the Urban Regeneration Company Newport Unlimited, established in 2003. With the onset of a comprehensive central area masterplan, numerous projects underway and plenty more in negotiation this provides a topical case study to examine how urban design is digested from early consultation, through the planning process and into the actual delivery of the project. With some of the most deprived lower super output

areas in Wales (WAG, 2008), Newport is in need of investment, something which has become increasingly difficult for the local authority and Urban Regeneration Company to secure under the current financial crisis. The onset of value engineered schemes across the UK (R&R, 2008, p2) exacerbates the importance of examining the local frameworks in place and their ability to deliver policy in practice. Regeneration practitioners in the city are questioning the design appraisal process and the implications this may bring (Newport Unlimited, 2008). This case study will be used to provide new research on processing policy into design quality at the local level.

Research Objectives and Conceptual Framework Following an initial literature review the following question, sub-questions and objectives have been put forward for this research proposal; From Policy to Practice: Achieving High Quality Urban Design in the Regeneration of Central Newport Sub-questions and Objectives 1. What policy frameworks and regeneration aspirations exist in regard to urban design? Put into the context of the national policy guidance this will assess the infrastructure put in place by Newport planning department to interpret, define, construct and implement quality urban design in both buildings and public realm. This will include an assessment of the policy framework aswell as the organisational structure through consultation and planning review. The aspirations for urban design, in particular, the contribution this can make to regeneration will provide the context in which to base the research. 2. To what extent are the policy objectives being achieved in practice? This will provide the analysis in which to critically evaluate the considerations of quality urban design against completed projects, planning approvals and pending applications. This will assess how, in practice, projects in Newport are aligned to the objectives stated by the local planning authority and how this translates to the national policy framework. A variety of projects (completed and under review) can identify potential contributions and/ or challenges facing urban design in the cities multi-faceted regeneration. 3. What are the factors impacting the transition from policy to design quality? A critical analysis of the first two questions will provide the opportunity to assess the existing frameworks for implementation gaps. The objective of this will be to analyse these gap(s), critically evaluate the reason(s) they exist and how they can be addressed to enhance and broker design quality in the regeneration of Newport.

Contribution of the Research The approach of this research will provide a detailed evaluation of the conceptualisation, construction and delivery of quality urban design in the regeneration of Newport. Assessing to what extent the policies and frameworks in place have been successful in achieving their desired outcomes and what impact this is having on regeneration will be of interest to the local authority, regeneration practitioners (and associated professionals) aswell as vested stakeholders. While urban design is the topic of much debate amongst professionals in Newport there is currently no audit of design quality (Newport Unlimited, 2008) and no research being done, hence the lacuna for this research proposal. The objectives and subsequent methodology will critically evaluate the approach, success and challenges to date whilst highlighting opportunities to inform and enhance the contribution of urban design policies, an upcoming local development plan and towards ongoing and future regeneration in Newport. Philosophical Viewpoint This research proposal could adopt a deductive interpretation of theory and a positivist approach based on the principles of cause and effect. In this respect the research proposal could be broken down to consider the quality of urban design as the cause and the impact this has on successfully regenerating Newport to be the effect. Positivism assumes we can act on as well as behave in reaction to, our social environments (May, 2001, p10). Data within positivism is therefore theory driven and designed to test the accuracy of the given hypothesis, for example, that poor urban design is having an adverse effect on the long term success of regeneration in Newport. Positivism shares with empiricism the belief that there are facts which we can gather on the social world, independently of how people interpret them. This can fail to reflect on the decisions, complications and contradictions in social life. As the literature review identifies, much of the rhetoric surrounding urban design evaluates its implementation on the subjectivity of the frameworks and personalities in place charged with its delivery. This could argue a move towards idealism in that human activity can contemplate, interpret and act within their environments. The topic orientates itself towards an inductive approach and the generation of new theory, ontologically this builds on the principles of constructivism. An inductive stance has been summarised in the work of Bryman (2001, p10) as an approach where theory is the outcome of research.drawing generizable inferences out of observations. This is applicable to this research proposal as no research currently exists on the influence of urban design upon the regeneration of Newport, hence the lacuna for this proposal. As the inductive process develops it is likely to entail deductive elements as the research instigates theories and assumptions which can feed back into the methodological framework. This feeds into constructivism as the ontological position of this research proposal, based on its objectives to challenge objectivity and existing assumptions about the application of urban design quality and to re-construct principles that reflect the influence of social actors. This research proposal will investigate a specific context of social construct rather than a definitive, universal model. Walsh (cited in Bryman, 2001, p18) suggests we cannot take for granted, as the natural scientist does, the availability of a pre-constituted world of phenomena for investigation, and must instead, examine the processes by which the social world is constructed.

This ontological approach lends itself to an anti-positivist, interpretivism orientated epistemology, concerned with the theory and method to interpret human action. The research is focused on understanding the constructs that underpin the process of implementing quality urban design and understanding the conflict of interest that exists between achieving high design standards and securing investment that may not otherwise take place, such as the case in Newport. The subjectivity of high quality urban design, as noted in the literature review, questions how individuals make sense of the world around them, both as residents in that place and as professionals charged with coordinating this conceptualisation. Methodology The nature of this research proposal and its inductive approach to the relationship between theory and research lends itself to a qualitative research strategy. Ontological assumptions and commitments will feed into the ways in which research questions are formulated and research is carried out (Bryman, 2001, p19). Qualitative research is generally concerned with the generation rather than the testing of theories. This piece of research aims to construct new theories about the way in which high quality urban design is implemented in central Newport and the impacts this may have on its regeneration. The research is intensive, concerned with achieving causal explanations within a small geographic area, it will not be making universal generalisations. While its ontology and epistemology to construct and interpret new theory may align with a qualitative research study, it will also include quantitative research methods. The work of Bryman suggests that the connections between research methods and ontological and epistemological positions is not perfectwhile there are arguments against multistrategy research, it is my belief that one can facilitate the other. (2001, p450). If qualitative methods, both primary and secondary, are used to assess the social construct of the urban design framework and the extent to which professionals feel this is impacting regeneration then quantitative research methods can be used to test any hypotheses formulated including stakeholder opinions about how successfully policy is translating to design quality. To undertake this piece of social science research works against the assumption that science is a coherent body of thought and works towards the principles that social science is challenged and contested against the nature of its methods and the types of data collected (May, 2001, p9). Methods The following methods will seek to collect information in order to address the research question, sub-questions and objectives of this study. A textual study will be carried out to critically examine existing policies and documentation impacting the delivery of urban design. As highlighted in the literature review, there is a planning policy framework derived from national policy, local authority development plans and local supplementary guidance. There is also a framework imposed by local regeneration strategies and a city centre Masterplan. To assess how policy is translating into practice requires an analysis that moves beyond the report of the literature review and instead critically examines these frameworks and the principles, aims and objectives manifested within. This will include reference to a range of planning applications to demonstrate how these frameworks underpin practical application. The reviewed planning applications will contain a selection of mixed building uses and public

realm projects in central Newport, chosen through a simple random sample of submissions in the same time frame, extracted from an electronic database held by Newport City Council. This will reduce the opportunity to demonstrate bias when selecting the planning applications for the study. Further documents issued by the media and professional institutes will also be reviewed. Scott (1990, p6) suggests such documents should be discussed with reference to authenticity, credibility, representativeness and meaning. This will improve the reliability and validity of the findings and analysis in this study. To support this textual study and the ongoing analysis of how urban design permeates through policy into practice a visual study will also be conducted. Bryman (2001, p373) suggests there is a growing interest in the visual. The literature review argues urban design has evolved from a purely aesthetic definition to one that is more holistic, lending itself to the multi-faceted nature of regeneration. The visual dimension can still, however, provide a meaningful communication both in the policy guidance and in an analysis of practical application. Scott (1990) refers to this as natural portrayal, an effective means of capturing visions as they stand. The study may also adopt an element of idealization to portray examples of best practice. Scott emphasises the need for a visual study to be taken at face value it is necessary to contextualise and probe beneath the surface. The inductive nature of this research and its philosophical standpoint emphasises the importance of social actors. An element of participant observation will be included to explore this social dimension in more depth. Bryman (2001, p290) defines participant observation as immersion into a group for an extended period of time, observing behaviour, listening to conversations and asking questions. Attending pre-planning application consultations, Newport City Council planning committee and Local Strategic Partnership meetings will provide an additional insight into the culture and interaction of social actors in constructing the framework for delivering high quality urban design towards regeneration. Some argue this can be referred to as ethnography, a process which extends beyond observations and implies this sits within wider research methods (Gilbert, 2001, p145). The approach will be overt. In order to establish access to closed consultations and LSP meetings my position as a researcher will be disclosed. The nature of planning committee as an open meeting to the public will allow for easier access but my position as a researcher will still be notified through informing Newport City Council of my intentions in advance. This will conform to ethics and informed consent, detailed later in the report. Semi-structured interviews will form a key part of the research methodology. This type of qualitative interviewing has an emphasis on generality, the formulation of ideas and on interviewees own perspectives. A semi-structured interview is defined by Bryman (2001, p314) as a list of questions or fairly specific topics, referred to as an interview guide, but the interviewee has a great deal of leeway in how to reply. As a result the interview can be more open-ended and discursive permitting refinement in response to developing themes. This study will conduct a number of semi-structured interviews with key actors. This will focus on those professionals involved in the delivery of urban design and regeneration in Newport including; Officers in Newport City Councils planning and regeneration departments, key staff in Newport Unlimited the Urban Regeneration Company, a local architect, a developer that has been party to negotiations over a planning application and a member of the Design Commission for Wales. This strategic sample will provide the opportunity to ask professionals from different backgrounds some common questions and derive some varied perceptions to assess the adequacy of

the policy in place, how well this has translated into practice, potential reasons for an implementation gap and its contributions to the regeneration of Newport. Particular attention will need to be given to the interview guide to establish the element of structure required to reinforce discussions around the desired topic area. This can be achieved with a range of questions, Kvale (1996, cited in Gilbert, 2001, p124) proposes a mix of probing, specifying, direct, indirect, structuring and interpreting questions.this should also be reinforced with silences to signal to the interviewee that they have the opportunity to amplify on their answers. A quantitative self completion questionnaire will be employed to assess the opinions of the community. Participant observation at LSP meetings will provide access to many of the local stakeholders in Newport, including public, private and voluntary sector representation. The absence of a community group requires public opinions be assessed through an alternative method. These are important within the holistic ambitions of urban design and regeneration to achieve an inclusive process. The opinions of the local community can help assess another dimension towards the contribution of design quality to a sense of belonging and improved standard of living for residents in Newport. The questionnaire will be delivered through a postal survey and collected a week later in an effort to maximise the response rate (May, 2001, p96). The households will be determined through a random sample on the electoral register, based upon an extraction of the central wards within Newport. A random sample can reduce discrimination and bias in choosing respondents by providing a cross section of households. This will also capture members of the community that may not be otherwise accessible through a day time survey e.g. those in work or taking care of children. Using central wards will contain the number of households into a manageable spatial scale in which to deliver and collect. The questionnaire will be relatively cheap, quick to administer and reduce bias that may otherwise be applied through face to face survey (Bryman, 2001, 129). The inherent constraints prevent a drill down on the issues raised or the ability to contextualise a response with the background of the respondent. The work of Dillman (1983, cited in Gilbert, 2001, p87) suggests the presentation of a questionnaire can be key to maximising the number of respondents an attractive layout is likely to enhance response rates. The questionnaire employed for this research proposal will include a mixture of closed and open questions. The closed questions will allow for quick, tick responses conducive to coding and analysis and will account for the majority of the questionnaire. A couple of open ended questions will be included to allow the respondents the opportunity to express their own thoughts, potentially revealing new areas for exploration. A pilot study of the questionnaire will be conducted, as advised in Bryman (2001, p155), this will test and inform the completed questionnaire before dissemination.

Potential Limitations While the research methodology has been designed to provide a robust and thorough framework for addressing the research question there are still potential limitations that could arise. The ability to carry out overt participant observation within the desired groups will depend on the informed consent of those stakeholders present. Without such consent this element of the research methods may need to re-evaluated or removed altogether. The questionnaire has identified households in Newports city centre wards as an appropriate sample area in which to assess the communitys feelings towards the

value of urban design and its delivery in Newport. This however, assumes a basic level of understanding around the principles of design and regeneration; in reality both of these disciplines are complex and chaotic. The questions will need to be worded in such a way to ensure participants are not made to feel excluded or patronised by the nature of the study (Gilbert, 2001, p87). There may be potential limitations with using the central wards as these also represent the highest levels of ethnic diversity within the city. This could introduce a language barrier, unfortunately with the time and resource constraints there will only be limited opportunities to provide translation for those who need them. If a language barrier poses difficulty for many residents who receive the questionnaire then it could be possible to consider working with the Race and Equality Council or local community partnerships to organise a small focus group in which to provide ethnic minorities an opportunity to participate in the research. There is a limitation in respect to the geographic area in which questionnaires can be disseminated and collected. With the time and resources available, focusing on achieving a cross section from a relatively small, densely populated area in central Newport will be the most efficient way to collect meaningful and representative results for the local community. The research also includes face to face interviews with professional stakeholders in the urban design and/or regeneration in the city. A potential limitation is the availability of these key staff and the potential for meetings to be cancelled, this can have cost/ time implications potentially mitigated by making arrangements to hold these interviews locally where possible (May, 2001, p142). Analysis The research methods are largely qualitative and will therefore by analysed by identifying common themes and building up the social construct that is influencing the delivery of high quality urban design in the regeneration of Newport. The information collected through the textual study, participant observation and interviews will be transcribed to enable these themes to be identified (May, 2001, p172). In building this social construct the study can be responsive to individual perceptions and experiences, potentially re-directing the focus of this study if needed. The quantitative questionnaire will provide a more tangible analysis to evaluate the hypotheses coming forward. The results can be codified, tabulated and graphically presented to convey key messages. The findings generated, including visual data, will contribute to a sense of place study and case study comparison. The research methodology will provide information on the transition from policy to design quality and its contribution to regeneration; as the literature review identifies design quality to be relatively subjective and location specific, a sense of place analysis will be conducted to pull together the research findings, in particular existing policies and aspirations that allude to the character of Newport. To date, this analysis has not been made despite regeneration professionals in the city arguing the value it could bring (Newport Unlimited, 2008). Providing a sense of place study will provide a benchmark for a more meaningful and contextualised analysis. This will also provide a more robust means of approaching the research sub-questions; what can quality urban design contribute to the regeneration of Newport, is it being achieved, and if not, why not. Relevant case studies will be identified and referred to throughout the study to introduce meaningful examples of policy frameworks and practice elsewhere. This could identify the opportunity to conduct further semi-structured interviews with key agents at these locales. This should not be considered a substitute towards identikit policy but instead examples of best practice that can enhance the

contribution of this research and its capacity to fully inform practitioners in Newport to new ways of thinking and interpreting the local with respect to delivering high quality urban design. Ethics There will be ethical considerations when conducting this research; this can be defined as a matter of principled sensitivity to the rights of others (Gilbert, 2001, p45). The philosophical standpoint and research methodology of this research proposal puts the perceptions of human beings as the subject of much of its investigation. To ensure that ethics are upheld, both on behalf of the researcher and towards its subjects, a code of ethics will be followed. The primary research methods will all allow for informed consent; my identity as a researcher will be disclosed and Cardiff University identified as the official sponsor. The full details about the nature and purpose of the research, including how potential subjects were identified will be given, allowing subjects the freedom to take part or decline. In regard to the questionnaire, household identities will be stored electronically using codes to protect true identities and addresses, and then destroyed. The confidentiality of all participants will be further protected by referring to specific findings or comments with titles. For example; A regeneration practitioner in Newport or Respondent A expressed the following concern in the questionnaire. Participants will be informed of their right to confidentiality, the process of storing data, the destruction of individual responses and/or transcripts and will be provided contact details to request a copy of the research upon on completion. As a researcher I will fulfil the ethical responsibility of conducting myself in a professional manner, remaining objective in my approach to the research and reporting truthful findings that do not distort or misrepresent the opinions of others (May, 2001, p62).

Initial Literature Review Academic Debate To introduce the main academic debates applicable to this research proposal the academic literature review has been broken down into three sections; the definitions and perceptions of urban design, urban design and planning practice and the scope and potential barriers to achieving high quality urban design in regeneration. The work of Greed and Roberts (1998, p3) argues that although urban design as a subject has experienced a renaissance in recent years, in terms of college courses, and in the numbers of practitioners undertaking urban design work, it is still an evolving area which is difficult to define and delimit. There is still much debate as to where urban design sits in the built environment professions. Its application can be referred to across town planning, transport planning, housing, architecture and regeneration professions, to name a few, it lies both outside and inside conventionally defined professional boundaries. It can also be considered a discipline in its own right. It is perhaps therefore not surprising that controversy exists over its definition. The Urban Design Unit at the University of Westminster propose a definition which attempts to join up the principles under various disciplines; urban design is concerned with the physical form of cities, buildings and the space between them the study of urban design deals with the physical form of the city and the social forces which produce it (Greed and Roberts, 1998, p5). The multi-layered nature of the discipline is highlighted through spatial, functional, morphological, perceptual and contextual/ visual dimensions (Punter et al, 2002, p55). This underpins the need for a holistic and integrated approach, synthesising ideas and transforming that synthesis into three dimensional form. It can be argued that each planning decision has a design implication and it is in this implication that the urban designers sphere of influence lies (Greed and Roberts, 1998, p5). The evolving nature of urban design to consider the relationship between the physical and social dimensions highlights cross-professional participation but also the involvement of other local stakeholders across public, private, voluntary and community sectors. The requirement of local authority bodies to implement policy across these sectors, along with its accountability and planning powers to manage the built environment substantiates the position it often holds as the lead for constructing and implementing quality urban design. Local Authorities have the potential to influence design quality through the much wider range of its statutory functions. The field of urban design is a contested area in terms of its scope, its intentions and its processes. Who shall decide on the nature of good design in the built environment? (HBF & RIBA, 1990, p6). The extent to which design is recognised as a legitimate interest of the planning system has been a matter of great controversy, yet, there is no doubt that it has the powers to dictate the terms of its delivery. Development plans and supplementary design guidance, discussed later in the context for Newport, represent a mechanism through which planners can align their appraisal. The guidance within these documents and the interpretation taken by officers and planning committees is however subjective. Decisions can become polluted with personal taste and opinions and the planning appeals system does not provide an adequate safeguard because of the timescale, risk and expense involved (Carmona, 1998, p42). He also argues these

shortcomings are inevitable stating there will be limitations to what any design control system can achieve. There is an apparent conflict of interests in that the planning authority is largely reactive, dependent on its applicants to provide a vision and deliver quality. This emphasises the importance of well drafted, accessible policies and preapplication consultations to communicate the importance of high quality urban design and how this can be achieved. Perhaps the true value of the planning system is best measured in terms of what it prevents rather than what it allows, paying respect to the nature of developers to maximise profits often at the expense of design quality (Carmona, 1996, p42). Moughtin (1992, p19) suggests that there are four stages in which urban design should be monitored as an ongoing process, these can be applicable to Newport; analysis, synthesis, appraisal and decision makingthese are neither independent nor necessarily sequential , but are instead part of an integrated, cyclical and iterative process in which the nature of urban design is reflected. This process should be embedded to reflect a particular location as each will have a unique character that presents different opportunities and threats. Ultimately it is argued that if the planning authority is to achieve these aspirations and influence a general improvement in the quality of design then it will be an investment in its appraisal that makes this possible. Concern about the decline of inner city areas, following de-industrialisation and the transfer of economic activity to the service sector, has led to a succession of initiatives intended to facilitate economic re-structure and bring regeneration to those areas impacted by derelict infrastructure and consequent social deprivation. The emphasis of which has evolved from pure property-market-led approaches instigated under Conservative Government, towards a more complex set of propositions which integrate social, cultural and economic goals. It is argued that urban design has an important role within regeneration schemes, not least because a consciousness of urban design practices can ensure that a scheme has a degree of quality, which may be absent from a purely economic or socially orientated rationale (Greed and Roberts, 1998, p87). It is important to distinguish meaningful urban design from one off flagship developments, big architecture and civic boosterism endorsed under the property led approach to regeneration. Urban design, like the current rhetoric around regeneration, is a far more inclusive process which extends beyond buildings into the public realm. They also share the aspiration to support mixed use development, community involvement, release creativity, promote sustainable development and build on a sense of place (Greed and Roberts, 1998, p103). Sense of place and well-being are two concepts considered to explore relationships between people and the physical environment. Sense of place is viewed as a multi-dimensional concept stressing cognitive (i.e. beliefs and perceptions), affective (i.e. emotions and feelings), and conative (i.e. behavioral intentions, and dependence) dimensions (Hillier and Rooksby, 2002, p15). Herein lies one of the challenges to achieving high quality urban design and successful regeneration, while sense of place is important in this process (Hillier and Rooksby, 2002, p15) it is a complex and chaotic concept. Some areas have sought to approach this through conducting a sense of place study. This can be a valuable tool in benchmarking the context for urban design put forward under development plans and local supplementary guidance. If successfully implemented urban design can significantly enhance the contribution of regeneration by protecting the environment and enhancing its quality, helping to attract business and investment, promoting social inclusion and improving quality of life (WAG, 2002, p13).

Government Papers and Adopted Policy The UK experienced a design renaissance in the 1990s. This was formalised in the 1999 Urban Task Force Report Towards an Urban Renaissance (DETR, 1999, p24). This proclaims that successful urban regeneration is design-led. More recently Central Government has continued to promote the importance of quality urban design through publications such as the; The Egan Review, the work of the Princes Foundation for the Built Environment and By Design: Urban Design in the Planning System (DCLG, 2000, p3), a government paper which provides advice on constructing a design policy framework as a means of securing the most effective and resource efficient tool at which to influence design quality. These are underpinned by a wide range of PPGs, in particular PPG1 who first defined urban design in 1997, and Circulars that provide the framework for design issues, it is however, widely accepted that these contain some inconsistencies both promoting design control in local authorities and also warning against too much interference. Following on from such guidance, in Wales there are a number of adopted policies which are in place to promote quality urban design and emphasise the importance this can play in wider regeneration. The Welsh Assembly Governments Planning Policy Wales (WAG, 2002) states good design should be the aim of all those involved in the development process and should be encouraged everywhere possible. It urges local planning authorities to engage in early consultation with potential developers and stakeholders to discuss design potential. Technical Advice Note 12: Design (WAG, 2002b) suggests design is a multidisciplinary activity and a successful design process is unlikely to be achieved without an understanding of the many factors and participants which are involved in influencing it. TAN 12 also promotes a list of objectives in achieving good design, these include sustainability, enhancing character, promoting innovation, promoting a successful relationship between public and private space, establishing high quality public realm, ensuring accessibility, promoting legible developments and promoting quality, choice and variety. There are regeneration policy documents which further incorporate the aspirations of achieving high quality urban design including The Wales Spatial Plan and Wales- A Better Country. At the local level Newport City Council has endorsed the principles of urban design in its Unitary Development Plan and adopted its own Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPGs). The reference to urban design remains generic in the UDP but is conceptualised into more theme and/ or site specific guidance through the SPGs. Newport City Council has adopted a residential design guide to inform the increasing number of residential developments in the City; A Model Design Guide for Wales prepared by Planning Officers Society for Wales (NCC, 2005). This guide was produced to inform all local authorities in Wales and has not been amended to reflect the local context in Newport, representing a departure from national policy which encourages policies be informed by an assessment of the local character. The shop front and public realm strategies (NCC, 2005b), which are both applicable to the central area, include a more contextualised approach with reference to best practice thats sympathetic with the local environment. There is a however a lack of guidance referring to commercial and mixed use developments and no sense of place study to unite, coordinate and benchmark the aspirations of these disparate SPGs. This policy framework underpins the delivery of local regeneration strategies. Both Newport City Councils regeneration

team and Newport Unlimited, in partnership, have produced strategies and a central area Masterplan that reference the importance of high quality urban design in the regeneration of Newport (Newport Unlimited, 2004). The cities Local Development Plan is still in consultation stage and will be looking to embark on an appraisal of its framework for design quality in urban regeneration in the lead up to 2011. This accentuates the value of this research proposal in potentially guiding this process. Guiding Policy to Practice As the interpretation and implementation of UK, national and local design policy and guidance is somewhat subjective this has introduced additional literature and organisations charged with advising the transition from policy to practice. The Urban Design Compendium and its successor Urban Design Compendium 2 have been put forward by English Partnerships and The Housing Corporation with the aim of providing accessible advice on many aspects of the urban design process, from the inception of a project to its completion (Davies, 2000, Preface). The Urban Design Group is a voluntary organisation, with both professional and non professional members, it organises events and publishes a journal Urban Design Quarterly to promote the creation of high quality urban environments. The Design Commission for Wales was established in 2002 to champion good design and a high quality built environment across Wales (DCW, 2008). Funded by the National Assembly the Design Commission has also published design review and guidance notes, in addition its professional panellists provide their expertise to education, training and skills development. The professional Institutes in Wales also assist in promoting and implementing high quality urban design from policy to practice. This can be noted in the Regeneration Skills Collective* (includes six Institutes) committed to the promotion and implementation of integrated and sustainable regeneration throughout Wales (RSCW, 2008, p4). This is achieved through a range of seminars, workshops and briefing events. Appraisal of the Research Contribution A thorough breakdown of the research proposal including a detailed methodology and literature review have affirmed this piece of research can still be valuable in the discipline of urban design and regeneration. Despite a comprehensive policy framework at all spatial scales to encourage high quality urban design, the debate amongst academics confirms there is much work that needs to be done in defining urban design and its trajectories from policy to design quality. This is particularly the case in Newport where no such work has ever been done. This initial research has revealed the Urban Regeneration Company, Newport Unlimited are in the early stages of tendering consultants to advise on how to broker design quality in the regeneration of Newport. Although this impedes slightly on the lacuna for this piece of work, my research proposal will analyse the existing frameworks which can potentially feed into this commission aswell as its original intention of providing an appraisal for the local planning authority. * The six members of RSCW; Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS Wales), Royal Town Planning
Institute (RTPI Cymru), Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE Wales), Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH Cymru), Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) and the Landscape Institute Wales (LIW). 4800

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Bryman, A.(2001). Social Research Methods. Oxford University Press; Oxford. Carmona, M. (1996). Controlling Urban Design- Part 1; A Possible Renaissance? Journal of Urban Design, 1, 1, 47-74 Chavan, A, Peralta, C and Steins, C. (2007). Contemporary Debates in Urban Planning. Island Press: London. Davies, L. (2000). Urban Design Compendium. English Partnerships and The Housing Corporation; London. Department for Communities and Local Government. (2000). By Design: Urban Design in the Planning System. Available at; http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/bydesignurban Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. (1999). Towards an Urban Renaissance; Final Report of the Urban Task Force. DETR: London Design Commission for Wales. (2008). About the Design Commission. Available at; http://dcfw.org/about/ Gilbert, N. (2001). Researching Social Life. Second Edition. Sage; London Greed, C and Roberts, M. (1998). Introducing Urban Design; Interventions and Responses. Longman Singapore Publishers; Singapore. HBF and RIBA. (1990). Good Design in Housing. HBF; London. Hillier, J and Rooksby, E. (2002). Habitus; A Sense of Place. Ashgate Publishing; Hampshire. May, T. (2001). Social Research; Issues, Methods and Process. Third Edition. Open University Press; Buckingham. Moughtin, C. (1992). Urban Planning; Street and Square. Butterworth Architecture; Oxford. Newport City Council. (2005). A Model Design for Wales; Residential Development. Available at; http://www.newport.gov.uk/stellent/groups/public/documents/leaflets_and_brochures/con t224094.pdf Newport City Council. (2005b). Public Realm Strategy. Available at; http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.cfm? fuseaction=plandocs.homepage&contentid=cont298179

Newport Unlimited. (2004). Central Area Masterplan. Available at; http://www.newportunlimited.co.uk/downloads/centralareamasterplan.html Newport Unlimited. (2008). Regeneration of Newport. Presentation to students at Cardiff University. Punter, J. Carmona, M and Chapman, D. (2002). From Design Policy to Design Quality; The Treatment of Design in Community Strategies, Local Development Frameworks and Action Plans. Thomas Telford Publishing: London. Regeneration and Renewal. (2008). Plans for Architectural Gem Submitted. Available at; http://www.regen.net/news/ByDiscipline/Physical-Regeneration/login/875108/ Regeneration Skills Collective Wales. (2008). Professional & Cross Professional Sustainable Regeneration Skills in Wales. Available at; http://www.rtpi.org.uk/cgi-bin/library.cgi?action=detail&id=4682 Roberts, P and Sykes, H. (2000). Urban Regeneration, A Handbook. Sage; London. Scott, J. (1990). A Matter of Record. Polity Press:Cambridge. Welsh Assembly Government. (2002). Planning Policy Wales. Available at; http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/wales/government/en/1105619052574.html Welsh Assembly Government. (2002b). TAN 12; Design. Available at; http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/wales/government/en/1105619050722.html WAG. (2008). Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation. Available at; http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/publications/wimd08sum/?lang=en

APPENDIX

Reflection on Contemporary Practice

Appendix Critical Reflection Host; Name of the Seminar; Cardiff University Never Forget Your Welsh; Discourse and Identity in Spaces in Wales Date Attended; 23/10/08 Location; Glamorgan 1.85 Research Undertaken By; Martin Davies (Open University Research School) Research Title; Spaces of the Nation? Place and Identity in Discourses of Spatial Planning, Place Promotion and Urban Regeneration in Wales and Cardiff The researcher began with an interest in the discourse of place and identity; using the Wales Spatial he was able to identify the South East Wales region as an appropriate spatial scale on which to base his study. This provided the opportunity to assess the construct and application of place in the contentious Cardiff city-region. The aim of the study was to examine the appropriateness of the city region as a geographical scale in which to promote place marketing and urban regeneration. The inductive nature of the research proposal was developed into a qualitative methodological approach. The methods focused on secondary research including extensive policy and literature review and attendance at key panels and working groups, no interviews or surveys were conducted. Without clearly defined research objectives and justification of the methodological approach it was difficult to convey key findings and a meaningful analysis that could coordinate the research aims with its outcomes. When asked to explain and justify this methodology the researcher could provide little insight into the reasons behind this approach or evidence of considering alternative methods. The findings were therefore not contextualised or aligned in a logical or coherent way and this impacted the clarity and thus contribution this study is likely to make in the wider discourse of place and identity at the city-region spatial scale. Upon attending this seminar, it has reinforced the importance of clearly identifying and justifying research aims and methodology to ensure the study remains closely aligned to achieving its objectives in a clear and concise way that provides a robust framework for introducing the final analysis and conclusions. This has reflected in the approach taken in my own research proposal, ensuring particular attention to outlining and justifying the methodology.

Critical Reflection 2 Host; Social Research Association Name of the Seminar; SRA Cymru Evening Seminar Date Attended; 30/10/08 Location; Data Unit Wales Research Undertaken By; Professor David Adamson (Glamorgan University) Research Title; Research, Participation & Empowerment: Working with Socially Excluded Communities

Attending a second seminar provided another valuable opportunity to reflect upon my own research proposal. The work of Professor David Adamson was particularly applicable as it focused on reaching socially excluded communities, adopting a pragmatic approach to his methodology using both survey work and focus groups. With the potential to deal with socially excluded communities in my questionnaire I have used the work of Adamson in considering a focus group in my own methodology. This proved to be an effective way of collecting different view points from those who would not normally participate. This research proposal had a clear methodology that was justified early on in the presentation, providing a framework for introducing the research findings and analysis. In contrast with the previous presentation, this again highlighted the need for a detailed and justified methodology to provide a structure to your work. Adamson also spoke in detail about the importance of ethics in his research. Referred to as ethical integrity, he considered this essential to a well designed research proposal. A researcher should uphold the code of ethics beyond the initial data collection and after the research has been completed. Adamson achieved this through distributing his findings in a local newsletter. I was able to reflect this in my own work, paying particular attention to the importance of ethics and the potential means to distribute the findings upon completion. A critique of this study was that little attention has been given to defining what makes the communities in the study socially excluded. I have tried to build on this in my own methodology by referencing potential limitations, such as the need to overcome potential language and capacity barriers.