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Land information management in Ghana, as in many developing countries, remains a practice monopolised by public sector land administration agencies, which are known for being inefficient in delivering services that satisfy the needs of citizens. Under this monopolised regime, landed property related data gathering, processing through land registration, storage and dissemination of the information as final product for public use is entirely based on expert knowledge. Meanwhile, reliance on this kind of knowledge for land information management has continuously failed to promote smooth flow and a broad based access to reliable information for decision making by citizens. This failure has created a huge land information gap between market participants’ especially genuine and fraudulent landed property owners on one hand and potential buyers, lenders, and investors on the other hand. Thus, there is information asymmetry, which this study identifies as a major contributory factor to the challenges of uncertainties and high transaction costs that characterise dealings in urban real estate markets in Ghana. In order to verify how the information gap can be closed, this research adopts quantitative research methodology. The research mainly explores multinomial logistic regression model to test Economic Theory of Knowledge propounded by Hayek (1945) using Ghana as the context of study. Primary data was collected from potential land information suppliers within the private sector and existing users of land information as likely beneficiaries of an efficient land information management regime. Interrater agreement index and Pearson’s bivariate correlation analysis were used to analyse primary data gathered from users of land information in relation to land information needs and competition in land information harnessing. Following verification of the relationship between competition and economic knowledge, the key research finding is that there are two kinds of land information management knowledge and these are expert and entrepreneurial land information management knowledge. Thus, the research presents empirical evidence that out of four types of entrepreneurial knowledge verified, two types namely adaptive and cost-efficient knowledge are most likely to influence competition in land information supply. Also, competition is likely to deliver land information services that satisfy the needs of users of land information. Altogether, the research findings converge with the theory verified. The research outcome suggests that deregulation of state monopoly of land information harnessing for competition among private economic actors in Ghana is due. Removing this barrier is likely to promote dynamic competition in which licensed land information suppliers can use adaptive and cost efficient knowledge in gathering and disseminating land information at competitive prices. The study also provides evidence that all-in-one land information, which is broadly accessible at competitive prices is likely to be required to help address the problem of information asymmetry in the context of Ghana. For purposes of practice in the context of urban real estate markets in Ghana, a framework based on the research findings is developed and validated. The framework is proposed to inform policy decision on deregulation for competition in land information harnessing to enable the real estate sector function well. To kick start the process, deregulation in land data gathering and dissemination of land information is suggested.

The Localism Act 2011 in England, provides a legislative mechanism to support participation in the planning process. Additionally, public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS) provide one approach to support public participation in planning. However, their ad hoc and context specific development approaches have resulted in tools that do not easily adapt to the needs of different communities and their diverse stakeholders. Therefore the aim of this research is to design a framework for the systematic development of an information system (IS) that can adapt to the perspective of the stakeholder and the planning context. Through the literature of: participatory design (PD); computer supported cooperative work (CSCW); human computer interaction (HCI); and enterprise architecture (EA), the limitations of previous PPGIS development approaches are identified. Based on this, EA is identified as an appropriate approach. EA frameworks (EAFs) support the development of IS features, but they require a link to organisational processes, goals and a vision. This means that EAFs in their current form have no grounding in loosely coupled organisations such as communities that have no formal processes, goals and vision . Therefore this research proposes a theoretical contribution of an adapted EAF called a 'community architecture' framework (CAF) for the systematic development of tools for a community context. Here, design science (DS) provides a research paradigm in developing the CAF as a designed artefact. To test the framework a community architecture development methodology (CADM) is proposed as a practical contribution to develop a system to support community stakeholders to participate in planning sustainable communities. The developed tool is tested on community stakeholders in Essex, UK. It is found that by using a systematic approach, it is possible to develop a PPGIS that can apply to different contexts and stakeholders. However, the limited examples presented here mean that further testing is required.

Despite national and local planning policies that seek to retain rural services, their loss from Devon's villages has led to those communities becoming increasingly less sustainable and self-sufficient. At both the national and the local level there is inadequate quantitative information about the extent of the losses of particular services over time and of the characteristics of those settlements most likely to be affected. The influence of wider contexts, or drivers of change, within which the changes are occurring are also poorly understood. Although several Local Authorities have produced reports recording rural service loss they seldom analyse these changes or seek to explain why such changes are occurring. Accordingly, Local Authority planning officers, both in Devon and elsewhere, have an evidence base of only limited value upon which to develop policy or evaluate individual applications. This thesis addresses the lack of local data and associated quantitative analyses and provides a qualitative assessment of the wider influences on rural service loss. Data about changes in rural services with Devon villages, collected from diverse sources, are subjected to rigorous statistical analyses. These analyses show the differential loss of particular services (Public Houses being markedly more resilient than Post Offices and shops), and identify key factors associated with service loss, most notably population numbers. In order better to understand the wider contexts influencing changes in rural service provision, the influences of a number of themes are explored and assessed. These include: demographic and socio-economic trends; changing retailing patterns; academic and professional debates about the role of rural areas; the national planning policy context that has since at least the early 1940s, and with changing rationales, been urban focused firmly constraining development in the countryside; and the effectiveness of planning decision- making at District Council level. Whilst not offering a simple planning 'solution' to the decline in rural services the case is made for reliable and up-to-date statistics to support objective decision-making and for the explicit consideration of the impacts of wider drivers of change so that the challenges of future potential service change can be more openly, objectively and constructively addressed. Allied to an improved evidence base, further assessment of other models of provision, such community-run and subsidised commercial operation, is urgently needed.

The thesis is broadly concerned with critically analysing how social issues have been dealt with in the emerging systems for regional planning in England using two case study regions to provide alternative perspectives, Yorkshire and Humber and the East of England. A central theme of the research involved examining the changes to the governance arrangements in the two study regions, specifically those involving Regional Planning Bodies (RPBs). Central government has introduced new structures and processes for regional planning, involving a degree of central prescription but also the potential for regional distinctiveness in developing new forms of regional accountability for planning policy. The research also examines the progress made by the two RPBs as they endeavoured to widen the scope of regional planning strategies beyond their traditional land use focus. In particular it explores how one of the themes of the modernised planning regime, social cohesion, is being drawn into the new Regional Spatial Strategies (RSSs).

The perception of the environment is not yet a part of the "knowledge framework" that is assessed to inform planning. It is investigated but it is still part of a negotiation process that is often based on the power relations of who is negotiating. This hinders a shared vision of development for the enhancement of a "collective sustainability". Parameters to assess the sustainability of an area or to regenerate an area are mainly quantitative and solely related to socio-economic and environmental factors. Cultural analysis is seldom undertaken in the assessment of sustainability. For this reason, new forms of assessing sustainability are advocated in the literature on sustainable development.

This thesis explores state-civil society relations with respect to urban services in the context of democratic decentralisation. These issues are analysed through a comparative case study of approaches to improved services in the Indian cities of Bangalore and Calcutta. Three main areas of focus in the thesis are a) relationships between citizens' voice and local government responsiveness; b) the implications of collaboration and partnership in urban service delivery; and c) the impact of broader socio-political factors on relations between service users and service providers. At the national level, legislation attempting to revitalise local government through democratic decentralisation has had a range of consequences for urban service provision. These consequences are examined through three paths towards improving service provision. The first, led by service users, is through traditional modes of political engagement and direct involvement in local community action groups. The second path, led by the local government service providers is through internal reforms adopted to boost responsiveness. The third path is led by the collaborative efforts of service users and service providers. The consequences of national legislative attempts at decentralisation have been markedly different in the two cities. Comparing the experience of approaches to improved service delivery in each, the thesis isolates the impact of local socio-political factors on municipal local governance. Demographic characteristics, the nature of political and administrative leadership, the character of local government institutions and the status of civil society, all prove to be important determinants of the quality of service delivery. Neither Bangalore nor Calcutta have enjoyed dramatic improvements in urban services as a direct result of democratic decentralisation. The thesis argues, however, that the decentralisation process has created an environment more conducive for dialogue between service users and providers: in which users have the space to express their voice, and state actors are encouraged to listen, acknowledge and respond.

In recent years increasing attention has been given to urban tourism research, and Tourism, Leisure and Recreation (TLR) have become critical tools in revitalising the economic, social and cultural fabrics and image of a number of British traditional manufacturing cities. The focus of this study is on the urban regeneration through utilising cultural production and consumption of one of these cities (Birmingham) in post-industrial society, and introduces the integrated innovative concepts of Amenity Places and Amenity Businesses. Birmingham International Convention Centre Quarter (ICCQ) is taken as a case study, and geography, history, planning, sociology and TLR are intertwined in order to examine and apply the new concept of Amenity Places and related ideas. The study employs a holistic approach and combines qualitative and quantitative techniques to investigate how the ICCQ redevelopments have taken shape, and the impacts of the regeneration of derelict former industrial sites along the inner city canals. Policy documents and other secondary and primary qualitative data were analysed through document analysis or simplified content analysis. Surveys were undertaken of key actors in the planning and redevelopment process (in-depth semi-structured interviews), and of Amenity Business operators (structured interviews) and users (face to face questionnaire surveys) of the ICCQ. The study found that, under the strong leadership of Birmingham City Council and their vision, which emphasised quality of design, culture and people, Amenity Places had been produced. Mixed land use spatial planning has enabled the creation of vibrant and cosmopolitan spaces, and these public open spaces and canals have provided an urban oasis in Birmingham City Centre. The majority of the businesses opened only after a massive amount of public money had been invested to make an attractive business environment. Despite frequent criticism of flagship developments, this redevelopment, in general, received overwhelmingly positive reactions from users and business occupants, and has brought with it significant economic impacts to, and image enhancement of, Birmingham. It was concluded, however, that there were limited benefits from the redevelopment to immediate residents compared to the new middle class which was found to constitute the majority of users of the ICCQ. This may have resulted from the limited involvement of local businesses and residents in the planning process. While Birmingham has made significant progress in winning new investment and improving its image, it still has some way to go before it can claim to be an attractive tourist destination.

Education is an important factor in the development and growth of a country. It is essential to have school transport to facilitate the transport of male and female students to school so that the families will be persuaded to send their children to schools, and the children are encouraged to continue education. The school transport modes are of different kinds: students can walk to the schools; families may own private cars; transport may be rented or may be provided by the government, such as school buses. The focus of this research is to identify the modes which are used to transport the students to and from schools, problems associated with such modes of transport, and the modes preferred by the Saudi households. The research also concentrates on identifying the constraints preventing the selection of preferred modes, and investigates the relation between the sociocultural factors and the selection of the modes in order to develop a Modal Split Model. A review of previous studies reveals that comfortability, convenience, time, safety, and costs, are the factors that play important roles in the selection of the transport modes. In the light of these factors, the school transport modes in the city of Dammam, Saudi Arabia are evaluated. Data were collected from a sample of 1081 male and 1084 female students, as well as from their guardians. An analysis of the data shows that students use the following modes for school transport at varying rates depending on the educational level: Walking, Private Car, Carpool, Limousine/Taxi, Government School Bus, and Public Bus, while the preferred modes are: Walking, Private Car, Government School Bus, and Rented (Public) Bus. Eleven modal split models for school trips have been chosen from 161 models as the best models for predicting school trips in terms of rho-squared (P 2)" As a result of the descriptive analysis and the modal split models, market demand and market share of the school transport modes are analyzed, and applications of how to use the models are shown in the benefit of the Saudi' households and the private companies.

The overall objective of the research was to evaluate the performance of the Chinese planning system on design, urban design in particular, and to search for ways to integrate urban design thinking with existing urban planning agendas to improve design control in China. The reason for undertaking this research was due to the general perception that urban design did not play the role that it deserved in China. Despite an increasing number of initiatives, the question of how to address urban design issues in planning and development control remains a source of controversy. Focusing on the Chinese planning system, the research examined the approaches, the procedures, and the general effectiveness of design control in China. The research emphasised more at a local level by taking Guangzhou as a case study. It also evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the recent urban design initiatives, namely, the Urban Design Plans for specific districts and the Model Community Program. Moreover, the research has examined the British design experience and looked in more detail at the recent experience of Glasgow. The research revealed that the main defects were the incomprehensive design concerns in local policies and plans, the inability of current statutory plans to deal with design issues, the lack of appropriate design guidance, the poor understanding of the local character, and the lack of openness and co-ordination in the planning process. Recent urban design initiatives have generated interest but have achieved limited success due to the lack of strategic level thinking. The examination of the British design experience has offered some valuable lessons. These include the incorporation of urban design principles at all levels of planning, an emphasis on the quality of the public realm, careful and detailed analysis of the local context as the basis for the development of design policy and guidance, and an appreciation of the value of public participation and involvement. Combining this understanding of the inefficiencies of China's design control with the lessons drawn from the British experience, the thesis also makes a number of recommendations for improving China's planning and development control system.

The research project studies the impact of urban regeneration in the historic centre of Naples during the 1990s. It examines how the centre-left administration, elected in 1993, harnessed the city's cultural and architectural heritage with the view to encouraging tourism, attracting inward investment and fostering among Neapolitans a sense of civic pride and a greater participation in urban life. It is argued that the reimaging of the built environment during the 1990s entailed re-definitions of citizenship, public space and urban history and the construction of a consensual vision about a 'new' Naples, but that this process was at the same time renegotiated and contested by residents and city users. The research focuses on three key urban sites - two piazzas and a park built after the 1980 earthquake - in order to analyse how the material and discursive consequences of regeneration led to conflicts over meanings and uses of public space. These case studies involved extensive periods of observation and interviews as well as consultation of newspapers and historical material. The study of Piazza Plebiscito, a former car park pedestrianized in 1994 and since officially adopted as the city's new symbol, examines disparate notions of heritage and urban decorum. Piazza Garibaldi, located in front of the main railway station and reconceived during the 1990s as the 'gateway' to the historic centre, analyses the relationship between immigrants and the piazza and the representation of such groups in debates about the regenerational city. Lastly, DAMM, an occupied centro sociale ('social centre') situated in an abandoned neighbourhood park, examines both the representation of the central popular quarters in debates about the city's renovation and the attempts by a group of local residents and young people to organize an alternative public space.

The purpose of this study is to explore what contributions a collaborative planning approach can make to achieving more sustainable solutions to the management of protected areas in Taiwan. Among the three designations of natural protected areas in Taiwan, the Wildlife Refuge is notable because its legal status provides more opportunities for stakeholder participation than other statutory designations. Drawing on a theory of collaborative planning advanced by Healey (1997, 1998a) this study provides an in-depth analysis of the history of the Formosan Landlocked Salmon Wildlife Refuge to evaluate the effectiveness of a collaborative approach to planning and management. A historical review of institutional practices suggests that several attempts have been made to move towards a more collaborative approach to natural areas planning and management in Taiwan. For example, devolution of power to the local government on a legal basis, some involvement of local people and conservation NGOs in the planning process on a legal basis, and establishment of formal instruments of policy, such as management plans and advisory committees. These are all ways of encouraging government institutions and scientists to work together in processes of planning and management. However, these practices mainly involve establishing formal arenas to foster the implementation of official 'plans' and their imposition on local areas. Local knowledge and local people are still marginalized in the planning process. Public meetings convened as part of the research were held with local farmers, tourists, and local management authorities and provided new inclusionary and communicative forums and arenas that were appreciated by most participants. The meetings discussed a range of issues based on local knowledge previously not addressed in traditional planning meetings. The meetings also involved local people who had previously been excluded from traditional planning processes. Such meetings brought together local people and the local management authorities in a face-to-face, consensus-building process. The meetings demonstrated how new political instruments designed to build social capacity amongst all relevant stakeholders can be used as a means of mobilising collaborative actions associated with the management of the local area. Detailed qualitative analysis of the record of these public meetings reveals that the main management problem of the Formosan Salmon Refuge Area arises from the different priorities given by stakeholders to two concepts: 'livelihoods of people' and 'the well-being of wildlife.' A sustainable solution to the long term management of the area will require a continuing programme of collaborative planning so that agreement can be reached about how these two goals can be reconciled. Recommendations about the forms such approaches might take are suggested based on a theoretically informed and explicit evaluation of the case study.

The research reported in this thesis provides a comprehensive safety evaluation of Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) using a range of experimental methodologies. An ISA system can have varying system characteristics but, in general, limits a vehicle to a particular speed (or provides advice about the appropriate speed). This evaluation offers an important contribution to the understanding of a range of issues pertinent to the implementation of such a technology. This thesis reports a series of studies designed to evaluate the effect of ISA on driver behaviour and safety. Each of the studies addressed a separate issue and thus a number of research methodologies were used. The studies evaluated the effectiveness of ISA in comparison to other speed-reducing methods and investigated how drivers interacted with ISA across a variety of road types. In addition, a number of variants of ISA were developed and their comparative effectiveness was studied in a laboratory setting and in the real world. In summary, the simulator studies reported decreases in mean and maximum speeds for areas of interest such as curves and village entry points. The field studies on the other hand only found decreases in maximum speeds, probably due to the small sample and high variability in traffic conditions. However these decreases in speed were located in road environments where excessive speed is a problem; thus safety benefits would undoubtedly accrue with ISA. With regards to system design, drivers were more accepting of an ISA system that allowed an override particularly self-reported speeders. Increases in frustration and the perceived loss of time while driving with a mandatory ISA were also reported and may explain the negative shift in gap acceptance behaviour and car following observed in the simulator.

The aim of this thesis was to bridge a gap in the research literature with regard to commentary on and evaluation of the relationship between British land-use planning and the management and development of the railway network in the years between 1948-94 when British railways were in public ownership. Although the research was focused on the nationalised main line system, it reviewed other rail systems where this was helpful to the analysis. The research utilised a review of the relationship between the railway network and urban form in the years to 1947 to derive analytical criteria and to serve as a point of departure for the core of the thesis. The overall relationship between the two sectors post-1948 was explored, at a broad geographical scale, with regard to institutional relationships, policy, and outcomes with regard to the spatial relationships between the railway network and patterns of urban form. The results of this research were used to derive hypotheses about the relationships which were then tested in a case study of the Manchester conurbation. The main conclusions are that there were few periods between 1948-94 when the ideological, institutional and policy frameworks necessary for a close and positive relationship between the planning and railway sectors were in place simultaneously. The contexts which were most favourable were with regard to: the location of new towns and town expansion projects in the South East in 1950s and 1960s; the improvement of railway networks in the PTE areas between 1968-79 along with the development of strategic policies for the restriction of major trip generators to CBDs; the period between 1985-94 when a surge in the property market was accompanied by BR Sectorisation, investment in other forms of fixed track transit, and the promotion of major development projects at and around stations, especially in CBDs. The research concludes by identifying opportunities for further historical research and briefly reviewing the relevance of the findings to contemporary research.

The establishment in the 1980s of a European Health for All strategy and set of targets has implications for transport planning policy across Europe. Potentially, Health for All provides a means by which transport planning can better promote public health. Key to this is the ability of local Health for All projects to develop effective intersectoral collaboration with transport planning professionals. The progress of Health for All in influencing priorities in transport planning is explored through a comparative study of Health for All collaborating cities in Denmark, the Netherlands and England between 1986 and 1996. Three cities are used as case studies: Copenhagen, Groningen, and Sheffield. The study examines the extent to which transport policies have been influenced by Health for All strategies and targets. Archival and interview data are used to explore the nature and degree of intersectoral collaboration between Health for All projects and transport planning departments. The research contributes to knowledge about how Health for All can influence transport planning in promoting health, an issue largely neglected in the literature. There are similarities and differences between Health for All projects studied in the way that they have sought to develop intersectoral collaboration on transport issues. The research highlights common barriers to effective collaboration, but also how Health for All projects could develop collaborative initiatives. It indicates that health needs to be translated into values such as quality of life, equity, and environmental protection, found to be policy drivers within transport planning. Quality of life and equity are identified in Health for All targets but were not drawn on sufficiently by health promoters. The study findings also underscore the importance of national policy frameworks on both health and transport which can provide common ground between the two sectors. The most successful city Health for All project was characterised by concerns for environmental protection and quality of life, with supportive national government frameworks for health promotion and transport planning.

Property theory has long explored the meaning and content of private property. Similarly, one finds no shortage of analysis of common or communitarian property. In the theoretical literature, however, one finds very little writing about public property, a third, very significant, type of property. This lack of attention is not due to a lack of examples; on the contrary, examples abound. This thesis offers a theoretical analysis of one such example: Crown land in Australia. Crown land is a largely forgotten and therefore under-analysed aspect of Australian real property law. This lack of analysis has produced significant confusion in recent judicial developments concerning Australian common law native title. In order to alleviate the potential for confusion, this thesis fills a long-standing gap in the literature of Australian real property law. In order to fill this gap and to provide a much-needed analytical account, it is necessary to make use of working definitions of private, public and communitarian property. This thesis provides each. First, using JW Hams' Property and Justice, it constructs a working definition of private property. From that, by way of contrast, a working definition of public property is offered. Finally, by way of contrast to both private and public property, a working definition of communitarian property is also developed. Armed with working definitions of private, public and communitarian property, the thesis provides an analytical account of Crown land in Australia. It describes Crown land as the quasi-ownership use-privileges and control-powers which the Crown, by virtue of its prerogative power over land, enjoys in Australian land. The Crown enjoys differently packaged bundles of such privileges and powers over many different sorts of land, such as those which have never been allocated for any use, specific natural resources such as minerals or petroleum, those over which Australia's Aboriginal peoples enjoy native title, and even those over which private persons hold freehold estates or statutory leases. All such lands, due to the Crown's quasi-ownership privileges and powers therein, can be called Crown land, which embraces a continuum of locations, each defined by a unique package of such privileges and powers over the relevant type of land. The thesis calls this the Crown land continuum, which, in its totality, is a working example of public property.

The starting point of this study was the influence of the rapid urban growth that Saudi Arabia has experienced during the last three decades, which has had a negative effect on the environment in general and in particular has led to the loss of the natural resources of the agricultural land of the oasis areas. The study seeks to answer the following questions: How can we sustain development in the oasis ? Are there comprehensive policies in respect of urban development, including infrastructure, agriculture and water, and environmental protection? And what is the impact of these policies on the general environment and on the oases in particular? The research covers a wide range of policies and the National Development Plans, which cover different areas of development such as urban development, infrastructure, agriculture and water, and environment, as well as other government activities within the authority of several agencies and ministries. AI-Qatif oasisi n the EasternP rovinceh asb eens electeda s a cases tudy to illustrate the existing situation and the result of implementing the national policies in terms of physicald evelopmenat nde nvironmentapl rotection,a nd to highlight the factors which haver esultedi n unsustainabled evelopmenitn the Kingdom's oases. The different experiences of other countries in relation to such concerns and the various policies of the Saudi government, such as urban, infrastructure, agriculture and water, and environment policies, are assessed and reviewed in general terms as well as more particularly in relation to the physical development and environmental protection of AI-Qatif oasis. Accounts are given of MEPA and MOMRA as the responsible bodies within the Kingdom for development and environmental protection, and general details of their institutional responsibilities and policies are provided in order to aid the analysis of the research. The researcher adopted a methodology combining both qualitative and quantitative elements, a descriptive approach, a survey type of research design, and an interview data collection technique, in order to gather information for his study. An assessment of the data gathered in relation to the research has helped to illustrate the factors contributing to the existing unsustainable development in AI-Qatif oasis and the loss of the agricultural land of the oasis as a valuable natural resource. The findings show that Saudi Arabia has produced appropriate policies and has established the ministries and agencies to carry out these policies; as a result the people enjoy one of the best standards of living in the world. However, there are still in evidence some factors which cause concern in relation to environmental matters. These include the lack at national level of comprehensive sustainable development policies for the oases, such as would be aided by the utilisation of EA and SEA, the lack at local level of wide-ranging implementation of the existing national policies in relation to the physical development and environmental protection of the natural resources of the oasis, and the lack of a comprehensive institutional framework to implement the policies which exist. Other very important factors are the absence of comprehensive co-operation between government ministries and agencies in relation to the sustainable development of the oases, and the lack of public awareness of, participation in, and education about environment matters, all of which contribute to the existing unsustainable development in the oasis. Finally, the study makes recommendations that would help and guide growth and change in the oases along the way of sustainable development.

This thesis is concerned with analytical and technical capability in using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis as relevant to the policy challenge of urban fringe management, taking as a case study the Seoul Metropolitan Region Perimeter. The primary purpose of this study is to analyse land use change using the tools of GIS and Spatial Analysis as a spatial decision support system for the task of managing the fragmented development of the urban fringe caused by the policy changes introduced by the Korean government in 1994. The case study analysed in this research shows whether GIS and spatial analysis can be applied to manage and monitor land use change in the urban fringe area at a very detailed level using municipal parcel data which occupies about 80% of administrative affairs, especially at the local government level in Korea. The major determinants of land use change in the study area have been investigated in an attempt to enhance the knowledge of how to provide decision support information for local government in Korea using GIS and spatial analysis. The results of the analysis represent the distribution of land use change from 1994 to 1998, the distribution of parcels with more than 50% of their neighbours in urban use and the transition probability of land use within a GIS, etc. The analysis using GIS and spatial analysis proved to be effective ones when providing the information base for modelling land use change in the urban fringe of the Seoul Metropolitan Region in Korea, to enable informed decisions to be made about land management policies in such areas. The lesson which could be drawn from this study is that a GIS and spatial analysis capacity is quite useful for local government to understand where and why land use change is concentrated, how the pattern of land use has changed, and which areas are susceptible to land use change. This study represented the results of analysis as a map, showed the significant patterns of land use change in the study area, displayed the relationship between neighbouring land use and the pattern of land use change, and suggested the transition probability of land use in the urban fringe in the future. Better understanding of the results may enhance the capability of local government to predict future land use change dynamics and devise more effective land use management strategies. This study brings a new approach to understanding the evolution of development patterns using the methods of combining spatial statistical analysis techniques with GIS application at site level.

The aim of this thesis is to explain recent developments in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) infrastructure policy and their implications for European integration theory. It sets out to test the view that firstly, the ad hoc nature of the TEN-T programme leads to national governments reaffirming their role as key actors within the EU policymaking process. Secondly, the aspiration of the EU's sustainable mobility strategy is not implemented in practice at the national level. The thesis combines theories of European integration with a study of the EU day-to-day transport policy making process to show how the TEN-T programme fits into wider debates on sustainability and European integration generally. To achieve this objective the thesis examines the dichotomous debate that exists between intergovernmental and supranational theorists in their attempts to conceptualise the wider process of European integration. It argues that such approaches drawn from International Relations (IR) are sufficient tools to explain the EU system of governance. In order to characterise the EU transport policy-making process more effectively this thesis highlights the need to adopt a combination of tools from both IR and Comparative Politics (CP) schools of thought. The transport sector is examined within the thesis for the reason that it remains one of the few policy areas that can better illustrate the tension between intergovernmental and supranational approaches to European integration. In addition, the transport sector is of European significance as decades of unrestrained growth have heightened concerns about its ability to achieve sustainable mobility. Indeed, the TEN-T programme is offered as part of the solution to Europe's transport problems and as a means of promoting sustainable mobility within the EU. However, analysis of the TEN-T policy development reveals a set of obstacles to the implementation of a sustainable European transport infrastructure policy. The findings resulting from this research are firstly, contrary to the assumption that European transport policy is dominated by an integrationist strategy of the political centre in Europe: it is the national government that remains the key actor in the European transport infrastructure policy process. Secondly, based on the evidence presented within this thesis, the transport sector does not signify a marked shift towards multi-level governance. Thirdly, the absence of this power sharing framework can be used to explain the unsustainable direction of the current TEN-T policy.

There is an increasing imperative to conserve the biological diversity of the world to ensure its future viability and integrity. The traditional approach in England has been to protect a series of small, isolated sites. Recent research has demonstrated the inadequacies of this approach, suggesting a need to direct energies more towards conservation in the surrounding wider countryside. However, there are considerable difficulties associated with achieving biodiversity objectives in the wider countryside, as there is a heavy reliance on non-statutory planning mechanisms. Whereas solutions to biodiversity conservation have generally been seen to lie in the realm of natural science, this thesis recognises the need for a better understanding of the people, policies and activities involved in the process. It therefore couples social science perspectives with an understanding of ecological science principles, in order to investigate the issues affecting the implementation of biodiversity conservation plans in three case studies in south west England. By employing a range of qualitative techniques this research: defines a number of conservation objectives for the study areas; uses conservation objectives as a basis for conducting a content analysis of biodiversity planning documents, in order to uncover potential implementation opportunities and barriers; presents the results in an analytical framework; explores and refines these through a series of semi-structured interviews with key biodiversity actors. This research uncovers a complex set of interacting issues. These issues relate to partnership styles of working, building agreement and trust, variable levels of knowledge about habitat and species in the wider countryside, restoration techniques, indicative strategies, strategic targeting of resources, financial support to farmers and other land managers, the role of monitoring, and policy responses to recent agricultural crises. The results attest to the importance of a social-scientific understanding of biodiversity planning, in particular, of the forces which drive or obstruct the implementation of local solutions. The thesis concludes with a number of recommendations, based on original evidence, aimed at improving the implementation of biodiversity plans in the wider countryside.

In a period of apparent new economic, political, social and cultural configurations in Western cities, a general diminution of belief in the ability of local government itself to affect significant policy change in response to the global restructuring of the economy has facilitated the emergence of new forms of urban governance in the post or neo-Fordist era, often following American models. Despite the fact that there are some differences in the interpretations of which new forms of urban governance are emerging, there appears to be a general recognition of the need for policy solutions represented by the development of partnerships and coalitions of interests ('regimes') in urban contexts, involving not only local authorities but also a range of private and semi-public actors. The rise of the entrepreneurial model among city governments also forms part of the socalled new urban politics of the post-Fordist era. Similarly, it is commonly argued that there is a growing inter-urban competition between cities for prominence as centres of consumption as one means to replace those traditional urban industrial activities which have gone into decline. This 'post-modern' strategy, including the use of a wide range of prestigious urban projects in areas of consumption such as sports, culture and leisure, has recently become commonplace in the restructuring of many Western cities. In Britain and Spain as elsewhere, some cities are using sport and leisure to drive the regeneration of their cities. Focusing on two European cities subject to large-scale deindustrialisation, Bilbao (Spain) and Sheffield (Great Britain), this thesis applies an urban regime analysis to evaluate the emergence and operation of public-private partnerships in a process of urban regeneration. This comparative study of urban politics also examines the role of sport and leisure in urban regime or coalition construction and the role of urban regimes or coalitions in the development of a sports strategy in the case of Sheffield and a cultural strategy in the case of Bilbao. Following an introductory chapter, the second chapter examines new practices and forms of urban governance, using traditional and 'new wave' urban theories, in particular the formation and operation of urban regimes and their implication for sports policy changes. The contribution of this thesis is to examine the applicability and validity of American models of urban change to the analysis of two different Western European cities that may help to understand how contemporary cities respond to contemporary urban problems. In addition, this thesis expects to expand the analysis of the role of sport in urban regime construction and the role of urban regimes in the development of sports or cultural strategies. The choice of regime theory has implications for both methodology and the subsequent interpretation of events. Thus, the third chapter addresses the general description of the ontological, epistemological and methodological assumptions underpinning regime theory. The fourth and fifth chapters review how urban planning and sport policies have evolved in Spain since the Spanish Civil War and in Britain since the World War II. This provides a context to the core of the thesis, which evaluate urban regime formation and operation and their implications in the development of sports strategies in Bilbao and Sheffield. The concluding chapter seeks to summarise the findings of the empirical research and relates the examples of Bilbao and Sheffield coalitions or urban regimes for economic regeneration to the nature and characterisation of contemporary urban and sports politics.

This study explores the potential for British housing developers to use virtual reality (VR) for the design and evaluation of housing developments. Four research questions were formulated after a review of relevant literature on house-building, VR technology and industrial innovation. These cover the context, technical problems and implementation issues related to VR use in the house-building industry. To address these questions the following tasks were undertaken: firstly a survey of the top 100 British housing developers' use of computer-aided design (CAD) and visualisation software and their attitudes to VR; secondly practical trials of PC-based VR systems for the modelling of housing developments; thirdly a case study of VR implementation in a British house-building company; and fourthly a multiple case study of VR use in Japanese house-building companies. The overall research problem is addressed by recourse to the findings of the different research methods. The use of IT and the house-building organisation, similarities and differences between CAD and VR implementation, and comparison between Japanese and British house-builders VR use are discussed. VR in house-building practice and policy is then considered. A number of general conclusions are drawn from this study. First, that PC-based VR is of use to British housing developers for explaining design intent to non-designers, both within and outside to the organisation. Second, that housing developers' use of virtual reality at the early design stages is hampered by the current state of the technology. Third, that organisational transformation is required for housing developers to implement and obtain maximum benefit from virtual reality. Finally future scenarios are explored to provide the house-building industry and policy makers with information on which to base decisions about how to invest or promote investment in virtual reality.

This research is concerned with the study of the behaviour of the vehicle/driver combination on motorways, in order to understand the effects which occur at higher flows and the potential to alleviate the problems. A simulation model was developed on the basis of the action point model, where the drivers' thresholds of perception and action were calibrated and measured by analysing vast sets of microscopic data. A comprehensively instrumented vehicle was used to collect the data for the project. A filter programme was developed for the raw data to overcome the effects of vibration and noise, which occurs due to many dynamic factors and circumstances in collecting the data. Three main situations were distinguished in developing the simulation model: 1) The Approach Process: This is concerned with the behaviour of a driver when approaching slower vehicle ahead. The research shows drivers are more likely to rely on the time-to-collision in controlling their approach process. However, other factors were measured, such as the perception threshold and the deceleration level. 2) The Following Process: This is concerned with the behaviour in close following situation. Many understandings were obtained from the analysis, probably the main one was that drivers tend to follow with shorter headways at high speeds, and no obvious threshold was found for the relative speed. Other behavioural elements investigated included driver speed control and the deceleration level during the close following process. 3) The Lane Changing Process: This is a very complicated process, which has many parameters and factors that are difficult to model. Relative speed and distance were used to determine thresholds for drivers' decisions to change lane. However, a complicated procedure was necessary to achieve a realistic behaviour in the model. The model was validated by comparing the output with the real traffic data. The calibrated and validated simulation model was further developed to investigate and assess the effects of two different Automatic-Cruse-Control [ACC] systems on traffic on motorways. The research shows that in general ACC systems work better with longer headway in reducing speed and acceleration variation. The comparison between the two tested systems showed that each has its own positive and negative side. Finally the safety benefits of such systems probably cannot be gained until the percentage of the equipped vehicles is very high.

A study was undertaken to identify the environmental impacts of out-of-town retail warehouses on wildlife habitats, using the B&Q chain of do-it-yourself retail outlets as a sample population. A database was created containing details of the B&Q stores, which revealed their location, characteristics, and the nature of adjacent habitats which may be affected by their presence. It was discovered that the majority of the 284 warehouses had been constructed at out-of-centre or out-of-town locations, and predominantly on land which had been previously developed. Approximately 75% of the stores were surrounded by urban habitat, although 17% were situated adjacent to rivers or canals. Impacts on local wildlife habitats were monitored throughout the construction process at three stores on brownfield and greenfield sites. Problems were discovered with the lack of site investigation, poor landscape design and the careless protection of natural features. The landscaping at B&Q stores was assessed for wildlife value, using birds as an indicator species. Landscaping was biased towards the planting of non-vegetation, with low species or structural diversity. Birds appeared to generally avoid the central planting areas, with greater numbers and diversity seen in the peripheral vegetation. Birds particularly favoured tall trees and native species seemed to attract a higher diversity of bird species. A high percentage of B&Q outlets (17%) were situated close to rivers or canals, with drainage from the store entering the water systems directly or via interceptor tanks. Accordingly, an investigation was carried out to establish the effect on aquatic wildlife of run-off from car park areas. Chemical testing for heavy metal content of water and sediment samples indicated localised pollution. Biological monitoring of macroinvertebrates suggested a reduction in quality at the outfall, although the effect again appeared localised and variable. Recommendations are detailed for the avoidance or mitigation of the impact identified through this study.