Urban Economics, Planning and Urban Design
Overview
The aim of this unit is for students to develop knowledge and application of key urban economics principles and concepts to a range of urban planning and design related aspects of urban governance. The unit will provide a framework for investigating spatial interdependencies between social, cultural, economic and environmental movements and policy development at local, regional and global scales. It will explore the economics of key planning tools and aims, including zoning and land use planning, uplift value and Financing. The unit will also examine basic economic assessment frameworks in relation to how to plan, finance and manage urban development, and allocation of social and built environment resources.
Requisites
Rules
Assumed Knowledge
Proficiency in citation management software such as Endnote or Mendeley.
01-June-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Evaluate urban design characteristics, spatial and economic plans through the application of relevant urban economics concepts.
- Interpret the spatial and urban economics underpinnings of cities, urban regions and including the economic principles of land use distribution and agglomeration.
- Analyse the fundamentals of market feasibility and economics of development including commercial decision-making, property markets, land and property development.
- Apply basic principles and issues in social impact and assessment analysis to urban design, planning and development projects.
- Recognise social and cultural diversity and assess the equity, housing market and social inclusion aspects of urban and regional plans and practices.
- Apply economic understandings and underpinnings with other determinants of urban development, such as globalisation, inequality, spatial processes.
- Create basic economic assessments of urban development projects.
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Lecture | 1.00 | 8 weeks | 8 |
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Tutorial | 2.00 | 8 weeks | 16 |
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Tutorial | 3.00 | 4 weeks | 12 |
| Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Various | 1.00 | 4 weeks | 4 |
| Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Various | 2.00 | 7 weeks | 14 |
| Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Independent Learning | 8.00 | 12 weeks | 96 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Individual | 20% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
| Project Report | Group | 40% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
| Report | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
Content
- Investigate key economic concepts and frameworks for allocation of land to different uses.
- Explore the role that agglomeration plays in cities and their implication for land use, urban form and processes of urban change.
- Explore the determinants of land supply in cities and the implication for planning, urban design and uplift value.
- Explore the impact of social and cultural diversity on demand for housing and access to different locations, including issues such as urbanisation, gentrification and urban renewal.
- Explore the impact of planning tools such as zoning, growth boundaries, design (e.g. heritage) on the economics of housing and urban markets.Â
- Investigate the economics of planning in relation to concepts of commercial (development) viability, affordability, equity and liveability.
- Explore cost-benefit and impact assessment in the context of urban development.
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.