Faculty: Science and Engineering
Supervisors: Dr Davide Natalini; Dr Philippa Calver; Prof Aled Jones
Location: Cambridge
Apply online by 16 March 2025This PhD will explore the role of place making and attachment (Manzo & Devine-Wright, 2021), specifically the provision of outdoor spaces in new developments and how they are supporting wellbeing outcomes.
Evidence suggests that, despite progress being made in the identification and delivery of higher performing and more attractive new developments, incidences of poor mental health within new developments are generally higher than in more established communities. Meanwhile, record levels of physical ill-health and worklessness are impacting upon the nation’s economy and the wellbeing of society.
Nature has been shown to have a positive impact on mental and physical health, as well as nurture a sense of a safe and happy place (Moula et al., 2022; Swami, 2016; Phly et al., 2016; Uhlrich et al., 2019). Therefore, access to nature and green space within developments offers an opportunity to improve community wellbeing outcomes.
With appropriate outdoor space it is possible to support communities to actively connect with nature through a variety of programmes. Indeed, within the NHS Long Term Plan, engagement with nature is promoted through the use of Green Social Prescribing based on the evidence of positive outcomes (Swami, 2016).
In the UK, mental health problems accounted for 17.5 million working days lost due to sickness absence in 2018. In England, the economic and social costs of mental ill health were estimated at £119 billion/year in 2018 (Cruz et al., 2020).
The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service is overseeing several large (1,000+ home) mixed use developments. It is “curating” places where large numbers of people will live and work in the future. It has a track record of securing high quality development as defined through peer review/design review processes.
Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council are committed to working with partners to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for society. This includes through a much deeper understanding of the impact that the design and infrastructure (hard and soft) decisions manifesting in new development can have on health, particularly mental health, outcomes. Importantly, Cambridge has cases that are deemed to be a success (e.g. Eddington) and places that are deemed to have been less successful (e.g. Orchard Park).
This project will explore the multiplicity of issues that co-occur with place that can influence the outcomes, not least demographics, wealth, education and design. It will specifically look at measures of wellbeing success and interrogate whether these cases are indeed successful or not.
A further investigation will involve working with stakeholders associated with one of the new developments in the city (for example, the Hartree development) to understand how they are approaching outdoor space development, to get a sense of barriers associated with planning decisions as well as implementation.
There is a general view that current practice does not lead to optimal outcomes. This may be due to the clarity of design objectives, and also with effective translation and implementation of the planning strategy by developers. However, there is currently limited evidence indicating which designs for outdoor spaces in new developments may be particularly associated with positive or adverse health outcomes. Such evidence would help shape planning proposals for new developments (for example, Northstowe) with a view to the infrastructure that is needed to create a community, and the design of appropriate outdoor space.
The objective of the project is to produce a set of guidelines that shape policy for supporting enhanced place attachment and to ensure outdoor spaces support better wellbeing outcomes for communities. Therefore, the specific questions will be:
If you would like to discuss this research project please contact Prof Aled Jones: [email protected]
Apply online by 16 March 2025The successful applicant for this project will receive a Vice Chancellor’s PhD Scholarship which covers the tuition fees and provides a UKRI equivalent minimum annual stipend for three years. For 2024/5 this was £19,237 per year. The award is subject to the successful candidate meeting the scholarship terms and conditions. Please note that the University asserts the right to claim any intellectual property generated by research it funds.
Download the 2024/5 terms and conditions (2025/6 terms and conditions TBC)