Thesis Title: Social and population health impacts of neighbourhood changes after redevelopment of contaminated brownfield land
Abstract: Brownfield land is previously developed land, mostly in cities, that is no longer in use and can be redeveloped for housing or commercial projects. Brownfield land keeps growing across England, and is needed for redevelopment to meet increasing housing demand and conserve undeveloped green spaces. Since some brownfield land was contaminated during previous uses, its redevelopment can bring about positive social and public health changes in the local and surrounding neighbourhoods. While if poorly planned, it can also contribute to negative impacts such as gentrification and social segregation. This PhD research project aims to create new scientific evidence on social and public health changes arising from the redevelopment of contaminated brownfield sites.
This project will use geographical information systems (GIS) and advanced statistical analyses to compile, harmonise and visualise geographical information on potential brownfield land contamination and a range of environmental, social, economic and health indicators. Using a data-driven approach, potential case study neighbourhoods will be identified. The changes in social and public health indicators before and after redevelopment will be assessed using interrupted time series approaches and multivariate regression models. Differences in change will be spatially analysed using methods such as cluster analysis. These quantitative research methods, combined with qualitative methods such as focus groups, semi-structured interviews and public workshops, will create a theory-of-change and predictive numerical models. The outputs align with the planned 9-week internship at the British Geological Survey, where a prototype digital decision support tool will be created to support translating the scientific evidence into policy and decision-making practice.
Primary Supervisor: Daniela Fecht