Hannah Hickman

Hannah Hickman is an Associate Professor of Planning Practice in the School of Architecture and Environment at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). She brings expertise from senior leadership roles in public and private sectors as a professional town planner. Her work bridges research, policy, and practice, recognized by awards such as The Planner’s “Women of Influence 2022: Academia” and two RTPI Sir Peter Hall Awards for Research Excellence. She chairs the University of Cape Town RTPI Partnership Board and serves on the Association of European Schools of Planning.

Research Focus: Strategic spatial planning, housing policy, infrastructure planning (including nationally significant projects), ethics in professional practice, governance, and qualitative research methods. Recent projects include studies on brownfield land delivery, post-planning processes, and the impact of ‘special measures’ on underperforming local authorities. She leads the ESRC-funded RETROFIT UK project and contributed to the RTPI’s Strategic Planning in England – Current Practice and Future Directions (2024).

Teaching: Module leader for Managing Strategic Growth and Planning for Nationally Significant Infrastructure, with additional teaching roles. Her pedagogical focus aligns with real-world challenges in planning ethics and strategic decision-making.

Awards:

• 2021 RTPI Sir Peter Hall Award for Research Excellence (Improving Post-Planning Processes)
• 2024 RTPI Sir Peter Hall Award for Research Excellence (Project-Hindsight: Post-Decision Implementation)

Current Projects: Investigating governance reforms in planning institutions and advising on infrastructure policy frameworks. Collaborates with the National Infrastructure Planning Association and West of England Combined Authority.