Alan Mace

Dr Alan Mace is a Lecturer in Urban Planning Studies at the Department of Geography and Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He joined LSE in 2010, previously working as a spatial planner in London and teaching at the University of Westminster. His research focuses on planning governance, suburbanization, green belt policy, and community engagement. Mace teaches core units for the MSc Regional and Urban Planning Studies (RUPS) program and undergraduate cultural geography courses, emphasizing London's urban dynamics.

Key research interests include the unintended consequences of planning conventions, green belt policy evolution, housing density perceptions, and suburban identity shifts. He explores scale challenges in planning governance, particularly in London and the Greater South East. Mace also examines suburban gentrification driven by buy-to-let housing and ethnic demographic changes influencing White identity in London suburbs.

Recent work highlights the potential of tactical urbanism for public well-being, housing delivery challenges in the UK, and strategic regional planning in the London–Cambridge corridor. His publications span urban policy, planning theory, and suburban transformation, with a focus on bridging academic and practical planning insights.

He has collaborated on projects like reimagining green belt policies and density standards in London, and his work frequently engages with European and Japanese planning contexts. Mace’s interdisciplinary approach integrates spatial analysis, policy evaluation, and community participation to address urban challenges.