Personal profile
Biography
Dr Gavan Rafferty, PhD, MSc, BA (Hons.), Pg Cert HEP, MRTPI, FHEA, is a Lecturer in Spatial Planning and Development at the Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment at Ulster University. Gavan is the BSc/MSci Planning, Regeneration and Development Course Director.
Before his lectureship at Ulster University, Gavan had a temporary Lectureship (2007-2009) and was a Research Assistant (2005-2007) at Queen's University Belfast, and was a Development Control Officer (2004-2005) at the (then) Planning Service in Northern Ireland. Gavan is a member of the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP), a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and is past Chairperson of the RTPI Northern Ireland Branch (2009-2010).
Research Interests
Dr Rafferty is a member of the Research on Property and Planning (RPP) centre within the Built Environment Research Institute at Ulster University, and his research interests include:
- the interplay between community planning (integrated service delivery) and spatial planning (land use development)
- community engagement, rights and co-production in community planning and spatial planning
- inclusive and healthy planning, including the co-design of chlid-friendly and age-friendly places
- regeneration and urban governance in post-conflict societies/contested spaces
- European and cross-border spatial planning
Current and Recent Grants
BelfastTHRIVES - Transformative Health and Regeneration Initiatives for Vibrancy, Equality and Sustainability
Rafferty, G., CoI, Architecture Built Environment and Planning (UoA 13)
Leavey, G., CoI, Psychology Psychiatry and Neuroscience (UoA 4)
Golden, S., PI, Architecture Built Environment and Planning (UoA 13)
Belfast City Council: £30,000.00
1/12/20 → 31/08/21
Models of spatial planning and development in a post-Brexit landscape: collaborating across external borders
Rafferty, G., Hewitt, N., Blair, N. & Mc Elduff, L.
Dept. of Foreign Affairs - Republic of Ireland: £4,989.00
1/01/17 → 31/12/18
Greater Monkstown Place Shaping Pilot
Rafferty, G. & Blair, N. (Principal Investigators)
Antrim & N'abbey Borough in collaboration with (then) PLACE: £1,500.00
1/03/17 → 28/02/20
Community Participation in Planning: Learning and Skills Framework
Rafferty, G. (Principal Investigator)
C.E.C. Erasmus+: £182,954.00
1/01/15 → 27/02/17
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, From ‘Contested Space’ to ‘Shared Space’? A longitudinal study on the relationship between people, place and power in Belfast, Queens University Belfast
Award Date: 14 Dec 2017
Fellow of Higher Education Academy, Higher EducationAcademy
Award Date: 7 Nov 2011
Post-graduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice (PgCHEP), Ulster Univesity
Award Date: 7 Nov 2011
Master, MSc Town and Country Planning (with Distinction) , Queens University Belfast
Award Date: 15 Dec 2004
Bachelor, BSc (Hons) Geography, Queens University Belfast
Award Date: 10 Jul 2002
External positions
Just Neighbourhoods (Research Project) Advisory Group Member, University of Reading
Feb 2024 → …
External Examiner, University College London
Sept 2019 → Jul 2023
Research Associate, Governance International
Senior Research Associate, International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD)
RTPI Partnership Board Chairperson, University of Dundee
Keywords
- H Social Sciences (General)
- G Geography (General)
- Community Engagement
- Regeneration
- Spatial Planning
- Community Planning
- Shared Space
- Healthy Communities
- Cross-border Spatial Planning
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 15 Life on Land -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions -
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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InPLACE: Investigating Planning, Place-Making and Commuting: The changing spatial relationship between homes and workplaces
Rafferty, G., Creamer, C., Keaveney, K., McCafferty, D. & O’Keeffe, B., Sept 2024, 270 p.Research output: Book/Report › Other report
Open AccessFile249 Downloads (Pure) -
The changing spatial relationship between homes and workplaces – research on the impacts of rural commuting in Ireland
Rafferty, G., 2024, (Published online)Research output: Book/Report › Other report
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Alley Greening: A Tool for Enhancing Community Resilience?
Forde, D., McElduff, L. & Rafferty, G., 27 Nov 2023, (Published online) In: Local Environment. 29, 9, p. 1150-1169 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile9 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)178 Downloads (Pure) -
Belfast THRI[VES]: Transformative Health and Regeneration Initiatives [for Vibrancy, Equality, and Sustainability]: Project Report
Golden, S. M., Rafferty, G., Leavey, G., Persic, C. & Mulrine, N., 30 Nov 2023, 93 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report › peer-review
Open AccessFile508 Downloads (Pure) -
Cross-border spatial planning on the island of Ireland
Rafferty, G., 24 Oct 2022, Planning Law and Practice in Northern Ireland. McKay, S. & Murray, M. (eds.). Second ed. Routledge, Taylor & Francis GroupResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
Prizes
Activities
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Roundtable 6 - The near future of planning and local government reform in England and on the island of Ireland: Key themes and emerging research questions
Rafferty, G. (Speaker)
10 Sept 2025 → 12 Sept 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Cross Border Planning for the Island of Ireland
Rafferty, G. (Speaker)
10 Sept 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference 2025
Rafferty, G. (Participant)
10 Sept 2025 → 12 Sept 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participating in a conference, workshop, ...
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UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference 2025
Rafferty, G. (Participant)
10 Sept 2025 → 12 Sept 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...
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Revisiting the Framework for Co-operation for re-imagining Cross-border Spatial Planning on the island of Ireland
Rafferty, G. (Speaker), McElduff, L. (Speaker) & Creamer, C. (Speaker)
12 Sept 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
Press/Media
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New Research Highlights the Impact of Commuting on Rural Towns Across Ireland
8/10/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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BBC Newsline - Future of town and city centres post lockdown
23/07/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Belfast.THRI(VES) Urban Health and Wellbeing Research -Partnership Launch with Belfast City Council and Department for Infrastructure
Golden, S., Rafferty, G. & Leavey, G.
10/05/21 → 11/05/21
1 item of Media coverage, 1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
Profiles
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Viduni Dedduwa Pathirana, (PhD Researcher)
Person: Doctor of Philosophy
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DS3 - Digital Services Digital Support and Digital Spaces
Rafferty, G. (PI), Condell, J. (CoI) & McElduff, L. (CoI)
1/02/25 → 31/07/28
Project: Research
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Disaster Risk Reduction 2024
Rafferty, G. (PI)
International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD)
1/08/24 → 31/03/25
Project: Research
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Planning, Place-Making and the Changing Spatial Relationships between Home and Workplace
Rafferty, G. (PI)
International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD)
24/05/21 → 31/05/23
Project: Research
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BelfastTHRIVES - Transformative Health and Regeneration Initiatives for Vibrancy, Equality and Sustainability
Rafferty, G. (CoI), Leavey, G. (CoI) & Golden, S. (PI)
1/12/20 → 31/08/22
Project: Research
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Greater Monkstown Place Shaping Pilot
Rafferty, G. (CoI) & Blair, N. (PI)
1/03/17 → 28/02/20
Project: Research