Dr Alan March
PhD Melbourne (2004) MA (Town & County Planning) Newcastle upon Tyne (1996) BA Urban & Regional Studies (Dist) (1994)
Lecturer, Urban Planning
Email: alanpm@unimelb.edu.au
Dr Alan March has practised as a planner since 1991 in a range of private and public sector settings, including roles in statutory and strategic planning, urban design, and advocacy. His research develops themes of planning as democracy in applied and practical contexts. He undertook his Masters at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, completing a thesis examining the role of planners in facilitating public participation exercises. His PhD developed and applied a theoretical framework allowing the critical analysis and comparison of separate planning systems. The research sought to improve upon and to operationalise existing communicative planning ideals of consensus and collaboration. This theoretical framework allows for the development of deeper understandings of urban planning as an aspect of democratic governance, beyond idealised and unattainable models.
Drawing on his ongoing research and practice, Dr March teaches planning theory, and planning and development management, bringing together core technical planning skills with wider theoretical understandings of the role and challenges of planning in applied settings. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2006 Global Best Planning Papers, to be published in 2006 in three languages. Alan's main research interest areas are planning theory, planning practice, and urban design.
Current Teaching Responsibilities
705219 - Planning and Development Management
705358 - Planning Theory
705521 - Planning Thought and Action
Research Interests
- planning theory
- planning practice & planning systems
- urban design
- risk and planning
- planning professionalism
- better parking planning
Awards Received
- 'Global Best Planning Papers' Published in ‘Dialogues in Urban & Regional Planning' 2007 by Routledge, English, Spanish and Portugese Editions.
- First Prize, Best Postgraduate Paper - Architecture, Building & Planning (Melbourne University) 2004
- Australian Postgraduate Award, with Stipend 1999-2003.
Recent Publications
Book chapters
March, A. and Low, N. (2007). Knowing and Steering: Mediatisation, Planning and Democracy in Victoria, Australia. Dialogues in Urban and Regional Planning: Volume 2. B. Stiftel and V. Watson. New York, Routledge. 2.
March, A. and Low, N. (2005) 'Dilemmas, Consent & Consensus: A critique of the Democratic Culture of Victorian Urban Planning'. In D. Cryle & J. Hillier (Eds) Consent and Consensus: Politics, Media and Governance in 20th Century Australia. St Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
Refereed journal articles
March, A (Forthcoming) Institutional Impediments to Planning: Professionalism in Victoria, Australia. International Planning Studies, 12 (3).
March, A and Henry, S (Forthcoming) A Better Future From Imagining the Worst: Land use planning & training responses to natural disaster. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 22.
March, A. (2004) Democratic Dilemmas, Planning and Ebenezer Howard's Garden City. Planning Perspectives, 19(4) 409-33.
March, A. and Low, N (2004). Knowing and Steering: Mediatisation, Planning and Democracy in Victoria, Australia. Planning Theory, 3(1): 41-69.
March, A. (2003). Outward Views: Rights and Utility in Victorian State Planning. Urban Policy and Research, 21(3): 263-79.
Refereed conference papers
March, A. (2006). Viewsharing: A case study in rights versus utility. 2nd World Planning Schools Congress, Mexico City, WPSC.
March, A. and N. Low (2006). Knowing & Steering: Mediatisation, Planning & Democracy in Victoria, Australia. 2nd World Planning Schools Congress, Mexico City, WPSC.
March, A and Henry, Susan (2006) A Better Future from Imagining the Worst: Land use planning natural disaster. Combined New Zealand Planning Institute and Planning Institute of Australia National Conference Surfers Paradise, Queensland.
March, A (2005) Urban Design as Governance: finding the best balance. Paper presented at National Urban Design Forum, Geelong, Australia.
March, A. (2004). The Professional as Impediment to Democratic Planning in Victoria, Australia. Paper presented at the EAROPH, Melbourne, Australia.
March, A. (2003). Professionalism and Democratic Planning: The Case of Victoria, Australia. ACSP-AESOP Third Joint Congress, Leuven, Belgium.
Contributions to Major Reference Works
Goodman, R & March, A (2006) The Australian Planning System In The International Manual of Planning Practice.
Keynote Addresses
March, A (2005) Urban Design as Governance: finding the best balance.Paper presented at National Urban Design Forum, Geelong, Australia.
Other Publications
March, A (2005) Editorial:Suffer the Citizens: Urban Planning Without Theory. Urban Policy and Research, 23(1) 1-3.
March, A (2007) A Risk Reduction Argument for Planning. Planning News 33(2) 11-13.