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Making informed decisions around land development

Better Places Research Project

Social value is playing an increasingly important role in how we approach land development, but there’s a lack of guidance for industry on how social value should be defined and how it can be used to inform decision-making and investment.

Better Places is an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Stantec and the University of Reading which aims to address this challenge, making it easier for local authorities, land promoters and developers to include social value in strategic decisions around land development.

Our latest report, Delivering Better Place Outcomes Through Use of Data, demonstrates how data gathering, analysing and sharing through open digital maps is key to making informed decisions on the issues that will affect generations and identifies a vision for change. The research highlights how data can enable social value factors to become a more integral part of the evaluation, and how digital engagement and mapping could be used to improve engagement and enable better decision-making for and on behalf of planning authorities, investors and developers. This work builds on our previous study of best practice social value creation and measurement. Read the stage one report here and the stage one briefing note here.

Expert Spotlight

Keith Mitchell, Director of Transport and Place

We plan for growth, infrastructure, and development by putting places first: creating communities fit for the future.

Keith Mitchell

Director of Transport and Place

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