THE PROGRAMME LEADER and THE TEAM
The combination of theory and practice is reflected in the leadership of the course:
Professor Chris Balch is a Chartered Town Planner and Chartered Surveyor with extensive experience as a consultant in urban planning, regeneration and development both in the UK and overseas. He has advised on a wide range of policies and programmes and has developed strategies and plans for the transformation of underperforming places, including work in major cities such as Leeds and Bristol, as well as market and coastal towns. He has worked on the planning and funding of major projects such as the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and the Lowry arts complex in Salford. He has managed major professional practices and was Chair of Basildon Renaissance Partnership.
Dr Stephen Essex is a Reader in the Department of Geography and a highly experienced researcher in the field of urban and rural planning. His research has included the formulation and effectiveness of rural planning, the planning and implementation of major infrastructure (such as the Channel Tunnel and the Olympic Games), and the role of local authorities in tourism planning and sustainable tourism. He has also researched the implementation of post-war reconstruction.
Other members of the programme team include expert staff from the Schools of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Architecture, and Marine Sciences and Engineering. In addition, the programme draws on a network of professionals from public, private and voluntary sectors.