urban and regional planning research topics

Urban Planning Thesis/ Research Topic Suggestions (Part 1)

Introduction.

In the field of Planning, each student is required to undertake a research project (thesis) as per his/ her interest subjects relevant to the field in the final semester. It basically gives an opportunity to the students to put their learning of previous semesters together. It also gives an opportunity to synthesize the knowledge and skills acquired by applying it for strategy formulation for a live planning challenge.

Each student is allocated individual thesis supervisor or a guide along with a co-guide who guide the students through this thesis semester. During this period, the thesis is monitored continuously and periodically through internal marked reviews to check the consistency of the work. The final output is in the form of submission of a detailed report along with drawing/ visuals presented on sheets which is presented to an external jury panel consisting of experts from the relevant field.

Urban Planning

Urban Planning is a technical and political process concerned with development of open land or greenfield sites as well as revitalization of existing parts of the city. Primary concern of urban planning is public welfare.

• Impact of government policies and initiatives (most recent) on urban land use
• Quality of life assessment in residential areas
• Role of urban local bodies (ULBs) in urban governance
• Socio-economic impact assessment of metro rail
• Evolving a mechanism for public participation in urban planning and implementation
• Impact of urbanization on land use in the rural-urban fringe
• Implications of airport expansion on the surrounding areas
• Role of International aid in urban poverty alleviation
• Planning implications of highway corridor on settlement pattern
• Impact of urban expansion on small towns
• Assessing linkage between the parent city and satellite town
• Changes in building bye-laws and its implications on urban development
• Planning for sustainable neighbourhood
• Assessing the liveability in the residential areas of IT parks
• Impact of urban sprawl on provision of public services

GIS in urban planning enables spatial analysis, modelling and data visualization which can contribute to a variety of important urban planning tasks. These tasks include land suitability analysis, site selection, land use and transport modelling, impact assessments etc.

• GIS modelling of Land Information System
• Urban Growth Modelling in GIS
• Urban Sprawl Pattern analysis using GIS
• Role of GIS in revenue improvement
• Municipal Information System using GIS in Property Tax Management
• Application of GIS for property tax
• Geo-Spatial Information System Based Model for Micro-Level Planning
• Integration of land records to GIS, a model for municipal application
• Application of GIS Technology in Watershed management
• Use of the Geo-Informatics in land suitability analysis for Industrial Development
• Integrated public transportation systems using GIS

Cities and tourist movement have both historical and dynamic relationship. Urban places often act as major attractions and serve as gateways to or staging areas for tourism. Tourism is at the heart of many cities’ development projects. Tourism is a major driving force in the development and stimulator of a new urbanity in metropolises and cities.

• Tourism Potentiality of pilgrim centres
• Impact of tourism on district development
• Eco-Tourism development strategies for Coastal Town
• Impact of Ecotourism on Local Community
• Impact of tourism on the development of Local Areas
• Planning for tourism circuit
• Potential of Urban Wetlands for Ecotourism Development
• Impact of Religious Tourism in Regional Development
• Tourism Development Plan for Inter State Border Conflict areas
• Spatiotemporal movement patterns of international tourists
• Water tourism: An Exploration of the Role of Inland Water Transport in Tourism Development
• Potential of Community based Ecotourism
• Strategies for Heritage Tourism Development
• Strategies for Ecotourism Development
• Impact of Tourism on Rural Livelihood

Urban Finance

Cities are growing at a remarkable rate and will continue to expand more. Planning urbanization in advance in conjunction with urban finance for implementation will help cities avoid unplanned and informal growth. When investment in cities is guided by good planning principles, it unlocks the potential for growth making sustainable development attainable.

• Municipal Bonds – An alternate source of Funding Infrastructure Projects
• Evaluation Study of Methods for Property Tax Assessment
• Revenue mobilization for urban local bodies through Asset Management
• Evaluation of Economic value and funding mechanisms of Parks
• Financial Appraisal of property development and advertisement of Metro rail
• Sustainable Financial strategy for implementation of the General Town Planning Scheme
• Assessment of Property Tax Management System
• Using Public Land as a tool to generate Municipal Finance
• Infrastructure Financing through Tax increment Financing

Environment Planning

Environmental issues arise and exist in almost all sectors where development is involved. Environmental Planning helps in making decisions about the natural environment, public health and the built environment.

• Environmental issues in the transformation of urban fringe
• Environmental implications of Solid waste management in hilly areas
• Conflict of drivers of ecosystem change on wetlands
• Impact of urban flood vulnerability on the mobility of the urban poor
• Adaptation of neighbourhood planning for climate change
• Potential for green and blue infrastructure towards climate responsive planning
• Planning for a low carbon neighbourhood
• Community based disaster management
• Vulnerability and risk assessment of settlements prone to tropical cyclone
• Impact of spatial expansion of city over urban green spaces
• Estimating the economic cost of environmental degradation of an industrial area
• Impact of sea level rise on development in metropolitan regions

Since the Industrial Revolution, cities and industries have evolved together. There exist various industrial towns which have grown around factories and expanding industries.

• Impact of industries on a fringe town
• Role of Agro-based industries in regional development
• Impact of industrialization on Tribal areas
• Development implications of SEZ: An evaluation of policies and programs
• Eco industrial Estate Planning
• Industrialization and Unplanned development
• Industry-led regional transformation
• Industrial development and intra-regional disparities
• Industrial Development induced displacement and resettlement strategies
• Socio-economic impacts of Industrial Development
• Impact of Industrial Development in a Backward region
• Planning interventions to address industrial disparity
• Impact of Micro, small and medium scale enterprises on regional development
• Potential of resource-based industry in the regional economic development
• Development constraints of an Industrial cluster in a city

Informal Sector

Cities with rapid urbanization usually face a problem with the informal sector. Businesses that the informal sector comprises of generally operate on the streets and public places and are often seen as eye-sores. So, conflicts arise between urban authorities who try to keep their cities clean and the urban informal sector operators who need space for their activities.

• Planning for Spatial integration of the street vendor activities around the temple area
• Informal sector and its implications in the structure of the city and economy
• Creating Public spaces through Placemaking by street vending as a tool
• Evaluation of the national policy on urban street vendors
• Assessment of participatory approaches for Planning of Hawker’s Space
• Assessing impact of pedestrians on the livelihood of Street Vendors
• Integrating working and living space of street vendors

Slum/ Informal settlements

Existence of informal settlements in the urban areas is a challenging issue in urban planning. It is short-sighted and unsustainable to ignore the challenge of slums considering the large scale of slums and the number of people they house.

• Security and slum vulnerability towards eviction
• Transfer of Development rights as a tool for Rehabilitation of slums
• Prioritization model for slum performance assessment
• Tackling large agglomerations of slum areas
• Imageability assessment of slums
• Evaluation of weaker sections housing programs in urban areas
• An evaluation of the Slum Improvement Project
• Re-Development strategies for slums
• Forward and Backward linkages of Migrants
• Composite Vulnerability assessment of slums
• The vulnerability of slums to livelihood security
• Impact of residential relocation on livelihood of slum dwellers
• Formulation of Methodology for delisting of slums
• Street led approach for development of slums
• Impact of perceived tenure security on slum consolidation

Housing and Real Estate

Housing is considered to be a basic human requirement of any civilized society. In order to ensure planned development of urban areas and create an enabling environment, it is important to provide affordable housing.

• Foreign Direct Investment in real estates of suburban
• Role of private builders in housing
• An exploratory study of residential satisfaction and acceptance levels in public housing schemes
• Influence of development policies on real estate market in metro areas
• Housing preferences of IT industries: Affordability and Proximity
• Global financial crisis and its impact on the housing sector
• Critical evaluation of affordable housing and assessment of public and private sector agencies
• Role of real estate agencies in urban housing development
• Role of NGOs in urban Housing for the poor
• Self-built housing for urban poor
• Impact of multinational companies on real estate
• Assessment of real estate regulatory bill for housing design
• Role of community in financing housing infrastructure in informal settlement
• The changing pattern of real estate in periphery areas

Inclusive Planning

Inclusive planning implies involving a fair representation of citizens providing meaningful and educated input where planners advocate for greater equity in public policies that address multiple objectives of urban planning.

• Evaluation of pedestrian accessibility measures in neighbourhoods for the elderly
• Inclusive neighbourhood for children
• Planning and designing accessible public spaces for differently abled
• Appropriateness of functionality of public spaces for the elderly
• Integrating child-friendly cities concept into urban planning

Transport Planning

Transport Planning is required for the operation, provision and management of facilities and services for the modes of transport. It is the process of preparing policies, goals and spatial planning designs to prepare for the future needs.

• Effect of passenger information system (PIS) on public transit ridership
• Planning for pedestrianization of the core area
• Concept of BRT-Strategies for Indian cities
• Impact of IT services on public transportation
• Traffic management plan for railway station area
• Study of major traffic bottlenecks
• Planning for vehicular parking in city central area
• Role of cycle rickshaw as a feeder system to MRTS
• Job-Housing balance as a tool to tackle traffic congestion
• Improving the road freight movement through route optimization
• Exploring the use of tramways as a parallel mode of public transportation
• Urban Planning Thesis/ Research Topic Suggestions (Part 2)
• Getting started with Thesis Writing
• ‘Preferable’ Thesis Tenure Working for Students of ‘Bachelor of Planning’
• Thesis Statement | Meaning, Importance, Steps and Types
• Difference between a research paper, dissertation & thesis
• Tips for Writing a Thesis

About The Author

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Urban Planning Dissertation Topics Ideas and Examples

Published by Owen Ingram at January 5th, 2023 , Revised On March 24, 2023

Urban planning is an essential tool in creating vibrant and healthy communities. It is the practice of balancing the needs of a society with limited resources to ensure equitable development and long-term sustainability. Urban planners work at all scales, from local communities to global initiatives, helping to shape cities, regions and even entire countries.

At its core, urban planning focuses on improving the quality of life through efficient use of land, transportation networks and public services such as education and healthcare facilities.

Planning can be a powerful tool in tackling social issues like poverty, inequality and environmental degradation by finding smart solutions that meet people’s needs while preserving natural resources.

This can include everything from designing walkable neighbourhoods that promote physical activity to creating green spaces that clean air pollutants out of the atmosphere.

Conducting research on urban planning topics is essential for students writing dissertations because it allows them to understand the field better while developing critical thinking skills.

Researching urban planning topics gives students insight into life within various cities and towns worldwide. Knowing how different areas have developed over time can help inform future decisions shaping our society.

Research projects give students hands-on experience conducting surveys and collecting data, which can then be used to formulate opinions about current issues facing cities and regions today.

How to Choose the Best Urban Planning Dissertation Topic

Choosing a dissertation topic for urban planning can be one of the most challenging and rewarding. It’s essential for students to take the time to carefully research and assess different topics, as this will form the basis for their entire dissertation project.

The following tips will help students choose a dissertation topic that connects with their interests while also contributing something new and exciting to urban planning literature.

• First, students must consider what topics they are passionate about within urban planning.
• Doing so may reveal potential research gaps or intersections, which could become their project’s focus.
• Identifying any specific industry trends or current debates in this area is also beneficial and could provide an impetus for conducting original research.

List of Urban Planning Dissertation Topics

• Chinese urban planning at fifty: an assessment of the planning theory literature
• Shifting approaches to planning theory: Global North and South
•  Disintegrated development at the rural-urban fringe: Re-connecting spatial planning theory and practice
• Computer-supported participation in urban planning from the viewpoint of “Communicative Planning Theory.”
• Jaqueline Tyrwhitt: a transnational life in urban planning and design
• A serious Digital game for urban planning: “B3—Design your marketplace!”
• The value of community informatics to participatory urban planning and design: a case study in Helsinki
• Urban planning and development in Tehran
• Application of system dynamics model as a decision-making tool in urban planning process toward stabilising carbon dioxide emissions from cities
• Property, politics, and urban planning: a history of Australian city planning, 1890-1990
• The making of urban America: a history of city planning in the United States
• Slope instability in static and dynamic conditions for urban planning: the ‘Oltre Po Pavese’case history (Regione Lombardia–Italy)
• The impact of sanitary reform upon American urban planning, 1840-1890
•  The capital of Europe: Architecture and urban planning for the European Union
• Settlement history and urban planning at Zincirli Höyük, southern Turkey
• Urban transportation planning in the United States: history, policy, and practice
• Beyond the colonial city: Re-evaluating the urban history of India, ca. 1920–1970
• Shadows of planning: on landscape/planning history and inherited landscape ambiguities at the urban fringe
• White cities, linguistic turns, and Disneylands: The new paradigms of urban history
• Analysis of problems in urban green space system planning in China
• Lagos (Nigeria) flooding and influence of urban planning
• Reusing organic solid waste in urban farming in African cities: A challenge for urban planners
• An assessment of public participation GIS and Web 2.0 technologies in urban planning practice in Canela, Brazil
• City of change and challenge: Urban planning and regeneration in Liverpool
• Urban planning in Russia: towards the market

What is the Importance of Choosing the Correct Urban Planning Research Topic

Urban planning is a very important topic for students to study, as it helps them understand the complexities of city life and its many related disciplines. When researching an urban planning dissertation topic, students should carefully consider their approach and the structure of their research project.

An excellent urban planning dissertation topic can help students better understand the issues, provide insight into potential solutions, and even develop new ideas for further investigation.

When selecting an urban planning dissertation topic, it is important for students to consider their interests in the subject matter. Choosing a topic that aligns with students’ interests will often result in more meaningful results and may lead to exciting discoveries.

Students should also be aware of current events or trends relevant to their chosen field, as these can provide invaluable insights into urban planning topics.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service!

FAQ’s About Urban Planning Dissertation Ideas

When to choose the urban planning dissertation topic.

In terms of choosing a topic for the dissertation, students should take into account the time of their academic year. Having enough time for research is important. In case you do not have time to write your dissertation, visit our website and see our services .

How do I choose the most appropriate urban planning dissertation topic?

The best way to choose an appropriate topic is by doing research on various topics related to urban planning. Consider what research you want to do and how much time you have to write your dissertation.

Examining journals and publications that explore urban planning issues can give you ideas about potential topics for your dissertation. Additionally, attending conferences or seminars related to urban planning can provide insight into current research in this field.

Can I use these topics for my dissertation?

The topics listed here can be used for your dissertation. There are a variety of topics you can use depending on the type of research project you are doing.

Have other students used these topics already?

These dissertation topics may have already been used by other students. You can order unique dissertation topics on our website if you need topics that have never been used before.

Can ResearchProspect provide unique and customised urban planning dissertation topics?

Yes, ResearchProspect provide unique and customised Urban Planning dissertation topics.

Can you make a research proposal on my selected topic?

Yes, we can develop a research proposal for your chosen topic. On our website, you can order research proposal topics or learn more about our proposal writing services .

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How can Australia make housing affordable for essential workers? Here are 4 key lessons from overseas

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Doug Ford’s highway tunnel will not improve transport or housing

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Our cities are losing the small, colourful songbirds that give us the most joy

Andres Felipe Suarez-Castro , Griffith University and Rachel Oh , The University of Queensland

Sudan is the world’s worst modern war – what has happened and what it’ll take to rebuild

Kagure Gacheche , The Conversation

What makes a city great for running and how can we promote ‘runnability’ in urban design?

Jua Cilliers , University of Technology Sydney

What makes Brisbane 2032 different from Paris and the rest? A ‘ climate-positive ’ Olympics plan for lasting benefits

Ali Cheshmehzangi , The University of Queensland

Would you send your child to school in a skyscraper? Vertical schools could revitalise our cities

Kirsty Volz , Queensland University of Technology ; Jenna Gillett-Swan , Queensland University of Technology , and Jill Willis , Queensland University of Technology

Bringing forests to the city: 10 ways planting trees improves health in urban centres

Myles David Sergeant , McMaster University

Affordable housing in God’s backyard: Some religious congregations find a new use for their space

Nadia A. Mian , Rutgers University

Not quite a street, not quite a road – why ‘stroads’ are disasters of urban planning, and how to fix them

Liam Davies , RMIT University

How to ensure higher-density housing developments still have enough space for residents’ recreation needs

Anthony Veal , University of Technology Sydney and Awais Piracha , Western Sydney University

Why YIMBYs, NIMBYs, BIMBYs and YIGBYs all matter for democracy and our future cities

Rob Stokes , Macquarie University

Have-not neighbourhoods hurt by about-face on engaging with the community in urban planning

Meg Holden , Simon Fraser University and Meridith Sones , Simon Fraser University

Terror attacks and kidnappings spread in Nigeria: why Lagos could be a target

Adewumi I. Badiora , Olabisi Onabanjo University

Prefabs and the ‘missing middle’: how to get Australia back on track to build 1.2 million homes in the next 5 years

Parisa Ziaesaeidi , Western Sydney University

UK cities need greener new builds – and more of them

Michael Hardman , University of Salford ; David Adams , University of Birmingham , and Peter Larkham , Birmingham City University

Labor’s new National Urban Policy is welcome. But will it be transformative?

Robert Freestone , UNSW Sydney and Bob Webb , Australian National University

Rethinking roads as public spaces – what NZ cities can learn from Barcelona’s ‘superblock’ urban design

Simon Kingham , University of Canterbury and Marco Amati , RMIT University

Five ways to keep towns cool in a heatwave

Debbie Bartlett , University of Greenwich

Higher density living is changing the way neighbouring works in Canada

Meg Holden , Simon Fraser University and Yushu Zhu , Simon Fraser University

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Sustainable Development in Urban and Regional Planning: New Findings, New Tools and New Perspectives

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A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section " Land Planning and Landscape Architecture ".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 16459

Share This Special Issue

Dear Colleagues,

Urban and regional planning are essential for the sustainable development of our cities, towns, and regions. Planning decisions can have a significant impact on the economic, environmental, and social well-being of communities. As cities and regions become increasingly interconnected, the challenges of achieving sustainable development become more complex. The need for innovative solutions that integrate the human, economic, and ecological aspects of development is greater than ever.

This Special Issue aims to explore the latest advances in sustainable development in urban and regional planning. It will focus on new findings, tools, and perspectives to better understand the challenges and opportunities of urban and regional planning in a sustainable development context. It will provide a platform for scholars to present and discuss their research on topics such as climate change, urbanization, green infrastructure, and resource management. It will also explore new tools and approaches to urban and regional planning, such as computer modeling and simulation, artificial intelligence, geospatial analysis, and citizen science, and how they can be used to promote sustainability. The session will also present different perspectives on sustainable development, such as equity, resilience, and cultural heritage.

This Special Issue welcomes manuscripts that link the following themes:

• New findings and perspectives on sustainable development in urban and regional planning;
• Innovative tools and approaches for urban and regional planning, such as artificial intelligence, geospatial analysis, and citizen science;
• Exploring the economic, environmental, and social implications of urban and regional planning decisions;
• Investigating the effects of urbanization on resource management and social equity;
• Exploring the potential of digital technologies to support sustainable development.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Dr. Rongxu Qiu Dr. Jing Wu Dr. Jeffrey London Prof. Dr. Qianbo Wu Guest Editors

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Background on Urban and Regional Planning

• Living reference work entry
• First Online: 05 March 2021
• Cite this living reference work entry

• Constance Carr 2  

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Sustainable development has been a subject of urban planning for three decades now. Planners and practitioners now have a wealth of materials, catalogues, readers, and textbooks at their disposal that discuss local problems and practices. The problem, however, is that sustainable development is a very broad and often contradictory concept that is difficult to implement, and has since become a vector for market-led, exclusionary, urban development and planning. Little progress has been achieved, especially in regard to social equality. At the time of this writing, the global pandemic was also unfolding, which demanded priorities in health care on one hand and opened up new questions about sustainable development on the other. If sustainability and post-pandemic planning (for sustainability) is to be taken seriously, it is imperative to identify, reassert, and re-center social injustices in the productive processes that generate urban and regional spaces. There is a risk that social polarization will widen further still and that it too will be market-led as governments struggle with the crisis. Practitioners need to be careful about how people are included and can benefit from planning practice. There is inspiration from planning theory. Knowledge of public interest, differing epistemologies and ontologies, problems of racism and class, and a revival of kindness in political democratic are some ideas that publicly funded urban and regional planning offices can promote and assert – in the interests of sustainability.

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Carr, C. (2021). Background on Urban and Regional Planning. In: The Palgrave Handbook of Global Sustainability. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38948-2_5-1

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38948-2_5-1

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Published : 05 March 2021

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