Place Quality Research
About our research
Place Alliance has been working with its partners to deliver a programme focused on generating a knowledge-based line of research about the quality of the built environment and its delivery. Our aim is to better inform the debate with rigorous empirical (but also digestible) evidence and to encourage its use in practice. The intention is that for this to be an ongoing study programme that monitors the capacity of the country to deliver
2025 - TACKLING INEQUALITY IN HOUSING DESIGN QUALITY
 Through presenting twenty stories which illustrate ten routes to success from across England, this study demonstrates that if the will is there, we can routinely deliver well designed new housing developments in even the most challenging locations. Â
2022 - NATIONAL MODEL DESIGN CODE MONITORING & EVALUATION
In January 2021, the then Government proposed to test the application of the National Model Design Code (NMDC). While not a Place Alliance generated project, the Place Alliance team were commissioned to conduct the monitoring and evaluation of the pilots.
2022 - APPEALING DESIGN
The research in this 2022 report aimed to examine whether the national change of policy on design has had an impact on the conduct of Section 78 Planning Appeals in England. On the evidence presented in Appealing Design, it is time for all local planning authorities to demand better.
2021 - THE DESIGN DEFICIT
A follow up to our 2017 Design Skills Research looking at urban design skills and approaches within England’s local planning authorities, and how they have changed in 5 years time.
2020 - HOME COMFORTS DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN
A survey of 2,500 households aimed at understanding how well or how poorly the design of our homes and their immediate neighbourhoods supported us during the coronavirus lockdown.
2019 - NATIONAL HOUSING AUDIT
A 2019 Audit based on a design audit of 142 housing developments across England.
2019 - COUNCILLORS ATTITUDES TOWARDS HOUSING DESIGN
Findings of a 2018 national survey of Councillors attitudes to housing design.
2019 - PLACE VALUE & THE LADDER OF PLACE QUALITY
A guide for decision making about the built environment, supported by the Design Network.
2017 - DESIGN REVIEW IN LONDON
360-degree analysis of the diversity of design review practices across London, and the benefits that flow from the high-quality provision. Â
2017 - DESIGN SKILLS IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES
A national survey of urban design