Relu abstract

1. Managing Environmental Change at the Rural-Urban Fringe
The spaces where town meets country are often among the most treasured yet poorly understood places within
the UK. This research answers three fundamental questions. How is this “rural fringe” changing and why? And
how can we more effectively understand and manage change in places of such uncertainty, diversity and
transition?
What are we doing?
• This interdisciplinary project will undertake research to inform future policy and practice across
the UK addressing management issues concerning environmental change within the rural-
urban fringe.
• Initially, social and natural science concepts of spatial planning and ecosystem services are
explored to create a new theoretical lens to identify and evaluate management issues and
needs. From these, strategic principles are proposed and applied within two rural-urban fringe
case study areas incorporating local stakeholders’ perspectives. A project monitoring and
evaluation component also assesses research team learning and impact on resulting work
practices.
• Collectively, these outputs will promote an integrated and spatial model for rural-urban fringe
management and signpost further research addressing the environmental change agenda.
When are we doing it?
• The £145K project will run for 18 months from 1st July 2010
How are we doing it?
• A unified project team of academics, practitioners and professionals ( Birmingham Environment
Partnership, the University of Aberdeen, David Jarvis Associates, Forest Research, Green
Economics Institute, Localise West Midlands, National Farmers Union, Natural England, West
Midlands Rural Affairs Forum and Worcestershire County Council) committed to sustainable
management and planning across both urban and rural and social and natural science
boundaries will work together to harness their collective experience and knowledge to create a
better model within which strategic planning for the rural-urban fringe might flourish.
What will we produce?
• Our approach allows academic and policy specialists to work collectively throughout the
research process, crossing traditional rural/urban and natural/social science boundaries, to
share knowledge and experience incorporating the latest theoretical and policy contributions
from spatial planning and ecology as they relate to environmental change.
• All results will be disseminated through reports, papers, real/virtual conference(s), the project
website and podcasts.
Who are we?
• Principal Investigator: Dr Alister Scott, Reader in Spatial Planning at Birmingham City
University.
• Co-investigators: Mark Reed, Professor Richard Coles, Dr. Nick Morton and Dr. Rachel Curzon .
What makes us special?
• This project develops new tools and approaches to understand and manage change in the
urban-rural fringe by combining the unique expertise of academics and practitioners in one
team
• The use of Sharepoint an ICT platform allows collaboration without need for costly meetings.
Want to know more?
• Contact Alister on: alister.scott@bcu.ac.uk or 0121 331 5631 (office) / 07554147910 (mobile)

2. Urban fringe development, Peterborough

3. Managing Environmental Change at the Rural Urban Fringe
Abstract
The spaces where countryside meets town are often amongst society’s most valued places yet, arguably,
lack sufficient understanding and integrated management within the UK. What is this “rural-urban
fringe”? How is it changing and why? And how can environmental change be managed more
effectively where uncertainty, diversity, neglect, conflict and transition commonly feature? This project
builds on existing research and decision-making tools, set within a new conceptual framework.
Crucially, the expertise and experience of academics and practitioners will be combined within a
research team which pursues strategic and interdisciplinary agendas within a multi-staged process.
Initially, social and natural science concepts from spatial planning and ecosystem services are explored
theoretically to identify and evaluate management issues and needs. From these, strategic principles are
proposed and applied within two rural-urban fringe case study areas involving desk studies, policy-
based assessments and visioning exercises incorporating local stakeholders’ perspectives. A project
monitoring and evaluation component also assesses research team learning and impact on resulting
work practices. All results will be disseminated through reports, papers, real/virtual conference(s), the
project website and podcasts. Collectively, these outputs will promote an integrated and spatial model
for rural-urban fringe management and signpost further research addressing the environmental change
agenda.