Automatic for the people? Problematising the potential of digital planning

Lord, Alexander ORCID: 0000-0001-8591-3439, sturzaker, john and potts, ruth (2024) Automatic for the people? Problematising the potential of digital planning. Urban Studies: an international journal for research in urban studies, 61 (12). pp. 2435-2451. ISSN 0042-0980, 1360-063X

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Abstract

This paper contributes to the small but growing corpus of literature which analyses the increasing use of digital technologies as part of spatial planning activities. Much of that existing literature focuses on the opportunities such technology brings or explores the use of specific technology. Instead, the paper seeks to problematise digital planning, explicitly questioning some of the optimistic claims made on its behalf. To do so, it makes use of a new conceptual framework to reflect upon the promises and potential pitfalls of greater use of digital technology within and beyond planning practice. The paper concludes that digital planning is no more immune to questions about exclusion and power than any other form of activity affecting the built environment, and that it is essential to question the rationale behind how decisions are made regarding the adoption of new technologies in urban planning systems.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	44 Human Society, 4406 Human Geography, 33 Built Environment and Design, 3304 Urban and Regional Planning
Divisions:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > School of Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	20 Mar 2024 09:37
Last Modified:	09 Dec 2024 11:36
DOI:	10.1177/00420980241238863
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3179720