Staff Profile

I am a chartered town planner with experience of policy making and a commitment to promoting a critical understanding of development processes in the UK. However, my research interests lie primarily in the spaces that lie beyond the scope of statutory planning processes and I am particularly interested in alternative or marginal ways of perceiving and responding to urban problems. 

I have an ongoing interest in complexity theory, and actor-network theory in particular, and am interested in the role of objects in governing behaviour and in the potential of non-human actors to re-orientate established forms of government. I have a related interest in the politics of technology and in the relationship between research and societal change. 

I am currently: 

Director of Engagement 

Module leader: 

TCP1014 Planning Processes

TCP1027 (skills element)

TCP8953 Politics of Urban Government

Additionally I teach across the planning programme on issues covering planning skills, theory and practice.

• Articles

  • Grinter S, Webb D. Nigel Todd and the Greening Wingrove Project. North East History 2023, 53, 47-60.
  • Ruiz P, Snelson T, Madgin R, Webb D. ‘Look at What We Made’: communicating subcultural value on London’s Southbank. Cultural Studies 2020, 34(3), 392-417.
  • Webb D. Tactical urbanism: delineating a critical praxis. Planning Theory and Practice 2018, 19(1), 58-73.
  • Madgin R, Webb D, Ruiz P, Snelson T. Resisting relocation and reconceptualising authenticity: the experiential and emotional values of the Southbank Undercroft, London, UK. International Journal of Heritage Studies 2018, 24(6), 585-598.
  • Webb D, Madgin R, Ruiz P, Snelson T. Giving weight to lived heritage. Town and Country Planning 2016, 301-303.
  • Webb D. Conceptualising the bounded agency of housing researchers: the case of housing market renewal in England. International Journal of Housing Policy 2012, 12(3), 315-330.
  • Webb D. The Limits of Associative Democracy: a Comment on an Actor- Relational Approach in Spatial Planning. Planning Theory 2011, 10(3), 272-281.
  • Webb D. Reworking renewal for a time of austerity. Town and Country Planning 2011, 80, 385-388.
  • Webb D. Rethinking the role of markets in urban renewal: The Housing Market Renewal Initiative in England. Housing, Theory and Society 2010, 27(4), 313-331.
  • Webb D. Coping with the politics of renewal: Insights from a case study of whitefield, Nelson. Open House International 2010, 35(4), 58-65.

• Authored Book

  • Cullingworth B, Nadin V, Hart T, Davoudi S, Pendlebury J, Vigar G, Webb D, Townshend T. Town and Country Planning in the UK. Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2015.

• Book Chapters

  • Webb D, Madgin R, Ruiz P, Snelson T. Authenticity and struggle: historicising skateboarding as 'action art' on London's South Bank. In: Hammami, F; User, E, ed. Theorizing Heritage through Non-Violent Resistance. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2022, pp.91-115.
  • Webb D, Mallo D, Tardiveau A, Emmerson C, Pardoe M, Talbot M. The containment of democratic innovation: reflections from two university collaborations. In: Steer, M; Davoudi, S; Todd, L; Shucksmith, M, ed. Hope Under Neoliberal Austerity: Responses from Civil Society and Civic Universities. Bristol: Policy Press, 2021, pp.221-234.
  • Webb David. Towards an extended symmetry: using ANT to reflect on the theory and practice gap. In: Rydin, Yvonne Tate, Laura, ed. Actor Networks of Planning: Exploring the Influence of Actor Network Theory. Oxon: Taylor and Francis, 2016, pp.217-230.
  • Webb D. The importance of the past: cultural legacy and making fairness real. In: Davoudi, S; Bell, D, ed. Justice and fairness in the city: a multi-disciplinary approach to 'ordinary' cities. Bristol, UK: Policy Press, 2016, pp.189-207.
  • Hart T, Webb D. Developing planning policies. In: Cullingworth, B; Nadin, V; Hart, T; Davoudi, S; Pendlebury, J; Vigar, G; Webb, D; and Townshend, T, ed. Town and Country Planning in the UK. London, UK: Routledge, 2015, pp.199-242.
  • Webb D, Cullingworth B, Nadin V. Urban policies. In: Cullingworth, B; Nadin, V; Hart, T; Davoudi, S;, Pendlebury, J; Vigar, G; Webb, D; Townshend, T, ed. Town and Country Planning in the UK. London, UK: Routledge, 2014.

• Digital or Visual Media

  • Richards P, Whitter W, (directors), Ruiz P, Snelson T, Madgin R, Webb D, (producers). You Can’t Move History [film documentary]. 2015.

• Letter

  • Webb D. Sub-heritage: resilience through reinvention. Heritage Exchange Conference 2014.

• Online Publication

  • Webb D. Labour's future lies in co-operation and solidarity, not managerialism and party politics. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Newcastle Institute for Social Renewal, 2015. Available at: https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/nisr/2015/07/23/labours-future-lies-in-co-operation-and-solidarity-not-managerialism-and-party-politics/.

• Reports

  • Webb D. Advocacy through environmental change: developing a critical praxis (end of project report). Newcastle upon Tyne: Newcastle University, 2017.
  • Madgin R, Webb D, Ruiz P, Snelson T. Engaging youth in cultural heritage: time, place and communication. 2016. Youth and Heritage.

• Reviews

  • Webb D. Planning matter: acting with things. Planning Theory & Practice 2018, 19(5), 780-787.
  • Webb D. The Knowledge Business: The Commodification of Urban and Housing Research. Housing Studies 2012, 27(5), 722-723.