Development-Control Data for Planning Research: The Use of Aggregated Development-Control Records

• Published in: Environment and planning. B, Planning & design. Planning & design., 1990-01, Vol.17 (1), p.23-37
• Main Author: Sellgren, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0265-8135; 1472-3417
• DOI: 10.1068/b170023

Development-control data have been widely used both by practitioners and by researchers interested in seeking to assess trends in the demand for development, and the impact of the planning system upon this. However, very little consideration has been given to the robustness of data drawn from this source, or to the problems confronting those who wish to use it for analytical purposes. An attempt is made to provide a critical overview of much of the published research which has been based upon development-control data. The approaches adopted for data collection, sampling, selection of variables, indexing, estimation of rates, and the assessment of trends are evaluated; and it is suggested that some of these could be seen as examples of good practice. The conclusion drawn is that the use of aggregated development-control data is not an invalid process, but that rigorous procedures need to be adopted when results are collected and presented, and that the findings need to be interpreted with caution.