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Ruth Potts
(she/her)
MRTPI
Teams and roles for Ruth Potts
Senior Lecturer in Spatial Planning
Overview
I am a planner with an interest in the ways in which digital technologies are transforming planning practices internationally. During my PhD I became interested in the way in which planners were using novel and innovative applications of technologies to enhance natural resource management planning processes and outcomes. Since moving to the UK in 2017, I further noticed significant differences in the way in which UK planners used technology compared to planners I had worked with in Australia, sparking my interest in understanding the digitalisation of planning systems. Over the last six years my research has increasingly focussed on understanding the way in which technology is being used to transform planning systems and aspects of daily planning practice, including public consultation, development management, policy planning, and the structure of governance systems.
Publication
2025
- Potts, R. et al. 2025. The online conversion framework: Understanding antagonism, planning theory and social media. Planning Theory 24 (2), pp.115-140. (10.1177/14730952241249799)
- Potts, R. and Webb, B. 2025. Scoping the potential for digital planning to ease resource pressures and improve planning outcomes. Project Report.[Online].Royal Town Planning Institute. Available at: https://www.rtpi.org.uk/media/2bber5ns/rtpi-cymru-digital-planning-research-english.pdf.
- Webb, B. and Potts, R. 2025. Are planners ready for a digital transformation? An exploration of digital planning tools and urban planners’ confidence using ICTs. International Planning Studies 30 (4), pp.528-551. (10.1080/13563475.2025.2550966)
2024
- Boland, P. et al., 2024. Professional planners’ preparedness for digital transformation: an empirical analysis of PlanTech. Town Planning Review (10.3828/tpr.2024.48)
- Hartt, M. et al., 2024. iNIMBY? The potential of automated social media bots to create echo chambers in the online participatory planning discourse. International Planning Studies 29 (4), pp.436-448. (10.1080/13563475.2024.2433650)
- Potts, R. , Lord, A. and Sturzker, J. 2024. Automatic for the people? Problematising the potential of digital planning. Urban Studies (10.1177/00420980241238863)
- Potts, R. and Milz, D. 2024. A culture of digital planning? An international comparison of culture, planning and technology.. International Planning Studies 29 (4), pp.327-341. (10.1080/13563475.2024.2407166)
2023
- Hartt, M. , Deverteuil, G. and Potts, R. 2023. Age-unfriendly by design: built environment and social infrastructure deficits in Greater Melbourne. Journal of the American Planning Association 89 (1), pp.31-44. (10.1080/01944363.2022.2035247)
- Potts, R. 2023. UK Ireland planning research conference report 2023. Presented at: UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference 2023 Glasgow, Scotland 4 - 6 September 2023.
- Potts, R. and Webb, B. 2023. Digital planning practices: benchmarking planners’ use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Planning Practice and Research 38 , pp.520-540. (10.1080/02697459.2023.2216492)
2022
- Friel, A. , Potts, R. and Shahab, S. 2022. Smarter cities, smarter planning: an exploration into the role of planners within the smart city movement. In: Allam, Z. et al., Resilient and Sustainable Cities: Research, Policy and Practice.. Elsevier. , pp.150-166.
- Hollander, J. B. et al., 2022. The role of bots in U.S. real estate development online communication. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 99 101918. (10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2022.101918)
2021
- Deverteuil, G. , Hartt, M. and Potts, R. 2021. Emerging anti-poverty infrastructural gaps in suburbia: poverty and the voluntary sector across Metropolitan Sydney. Environment and Planning A 53 (2), pp.371-388. (10.1177/0308518X20945701)
- Shahab, S. , Bagheri, B. and Potts, R. 2021. Barriers to employing e-participation in the Iranian planning system. Cities 116 103281. (10.1016/j.cities.2021.103281)
- Shahab, S. and Potts, R. 2021. e-participation in developing countries: an Iranian case study. Presented at: 5th International Conference on Urban E-Planning Lisbon, Portugal 7 - 10 September 2021.
2020
- Dale, A. et al., 2020. Governing community-based natural resource management in Australia: international implications. Land 9 (7) 234. (10.3390/land9070234)
- Hollander, J. et al., 2020. The role of artificial intelligence in community planning. International Journal of Community Well-Being 3 , pp.507-521. (10.1007/s42413-020-00090-7)
- Potts, R. 2020. Disconnected dots?: A systematic review of governance challenges for natural resource management. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 63 (8), pp.1356 -1374. (10.1080/09640568.2019.1663723)
- Potts, R. 2020. Is a new Planning 3.0 paradigm emerging? Exploring the relationship between digital technologies and planning theory and practice. Planning Theory and Practice 21 (2), pp.272-289. (10.1080/14649357.2020.1748699)
2019
- Potts, R. and Yee, L. 2019. Pokémon Go-ing or staying: Exploring the effect of age and gender on augmented reality game player experiences in public spaces. Journal of Urban Design 24 (6), pp.878-895. (10.1080/13574809.2018.1557513)
2018
- Matthews, T. and Potts, R. 2018. Planning for climigration: a framework for effective action. Climatic Change 148 , pp.607-621. (10.1007/s10584-018-2205-3)
2017
- Howes, M. et al., 2017. Environmental sustainability: A case of policy implementation failure?. Sustainablity 9 (2) 165. (10.3390/su9020165)
2016
- Potts, R. 2016. The good, the bad, and the statutory: Are satutory or non-statutory natural resource management plans higher in quality?. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning 19 (6), pp.668-681. (10.1080/1523908X.2016.1265885)
- Potts, R. et al. 2016. Evaluating governance arrangements and decision-making outcomes for natural resource management planning: An empirical application of the governance systems analysis framework. Society and Natural Resources 29 (11), pp.1325-1341. (10.1080/08941920.2016.1185557)
- Potts, R. et al. 2016. Exploring the usefulness of structural-functional approaches to analyse governance of planning systems. Planning Theory 15 (2), pp.162-189. (10.1177/1473095214553519)
Articles
- Boland, P. et al., 2024. Professional planners’ preparedness for digital transformation: an empirical analysis of PlanTech. Town Planning Review (10.3828/tpr.2024.48)
- Dale, A. et al., 2020. Governing community-based natural resource management in Australia: international implications. Land 9 (7) 234. (10.3390/land9070234)
- Deverteuil, G. , Hartt, M. and Potts, R. 2021. Emerging anti-poverty infrastructural gaps in suburbia: poverty and the voluntary sector across Metropolitan Sydney. Environment and Planning A 53 (2), pp.371-388. (10.1177/0308518X20945701)
- Hartt, M. et al., 2024. iNIMBY? The potential of automated social media bots to create echo chambers in the online participatory planning discourse. International Planning Studies 29 (4), pp.436-448. (10.1080/13563475.2024.2433650)
- Hartt, M. , Deverteuil, G. and Potts, R. 2023. Age-unfriendly by design: built environment and social infrastructure deficits in Greater Melbourne. Journal of the American Planning Association 89 (1), pp.31-44. (10.1080/01944363.2022.2035247)
- Hollander, J. et al., 2020. The role of artificial intelligence in community planning. International Journal of Community Well-Being 3 , pp.507-521. (10.1007/s42413-020-00090-7)
- Hollander, J. B. et al., 2022. The role of bots in U.S. real estate development online communication. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 99 101918. (10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2022.101918)
- Howes, M. et al., 2017. Environmental sustainability: A case of policy implementation failure?. Sustainablity 9 (2) 165. (10.3390/su9020165)
- Matthews, T. and Potts, R. 2018. Planning for climigration: a framework for effective action. Climatic Change 148 , pp.607-621. (10.1007/s10584-018-2205-3)
- Potts, R. 2020. Disconnected dots?: A systematic review of governance challenges for natural resource management. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 63 (8), pp.1356 -1374. (10.1080/09640568.2019.1663723)
- Potts, R. 2020. Is a new Planning 3.0 paradigm emerging? Exploring the relationship between digital technologies and planning theory and practice. Planning Theory and Practice 21 (2), pp.272-289. (10.1080/14649357.2020.1748699)
- Potts, R. 2016. The good, the bad, and the statutory: Are satutory or non-statutory natural resource management plans higher in quality?. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning 19 (6), pp.668-681. (10.1080/1523908X.2016.1265885)
- Potts, R. , Lord, A. and Sturzker, J. 2024. Automatic for the people? Problematising the potential of digital planning. Urban Studies (10.1177/00420980241238863)
- Potts, R. and Milz, D. 2024. A culture of digital planning? An international comparison of culture, planning and technology.. International Planning Studies 29 (4), pp.327-341. (10.1080/13563475.2024.2407166)
- Potts, R. et al. 2025. The online conversion framework: Understanding antagonism, planning theory and social media. Planning Theory 24 (2), pp.115-140. (10.1177/14730952241249799)
- Potts, R. et al. 2016. Evaluating governance arrangements and decision-making outcomes for natural resource management planning: An empirical application of the governance systems analysis framework. Society and Natural Resources 29 (11), pp.1325-1341. (10.1080/08941920.2016.1185557)
- Potts, R. et al. 2016. Exploring the usefulness of structural-functional approaches to analyse governance of planning systems. Planning Theory 15 (2), pp.162-189. (10.1177/1473095214553519)
- Potts, R. and Webb, B. 2023. Digital planning practices: benchmarking planners’ use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Planning Practice and Research 38 , pp.520-540. (10.1080/02697459.2023.2216492)
- Potts, R. and Yee, L. 2019. Pokémon Go-ing or staying: Exploring the effect of age and gender on augmented reality game player experiences in public spaces. Journal of Urban Design 24 (6), pp.878-895. (10.1080/13574809.2018.1557513)
- Shahab, S. , Bagheri, B. and Potts, R. 2021. Barriers to employing e-participation in the Iranian planning system. Cities 116 103281. (10.1016/j.cities.2021.103281)
- Webb, B. and Potts, R. 2025. Are planners ready for a digital transformation? An exploration of digital planning tools and urban planners’ confidence using ICTs. International Planning Studies 30 (4), pp.528-551. (10.1080/13563475.2025.2550966)
Book sections
- Friel, A. , Potts, R. and Shahab, S. 2022. Smarter cities, smarter planning: an exploration into the role of planners within the smart city movement. In: Allam, Z. et al., Resilient and Sustainable Cities: Research, Policy and Practice.. Elsevier. , pp.150-166.
Conferences
- Potts, R. 2023. UK Ireland planning research conference report 2023. Presented at: UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference 2023 Glasgow, Scotland 4 - 6 September 2023.
- Shahab, S. and Potts, R. 2021. e-participation in developing countries: an Iranian case study. Presented at: 5th International Conference on Urban E-Planning Lisbon, Portugal 7 - 10 September 2021.
Monographs
- Potts, R. and Webb, B. 2025. Scoping the potential for digital planning to ease resource pressures and improve planning outcomes. Project Report.[Online].Royal Town Planning Institute. Available at: https://www.rtpi.org.uk/media/2bber5ns/rtpi-cymru-digital-planning-research-english.pdf.
Research
My research explores the impacts of digitalisation of urban planning systems internationally. I am particularly interested in the professional impacts and role of the planner in digitalisation processes, as well as the impacts of digitalisation on the daily practices of planning practitioners. My work is practice oriented, but theoretically informed and involves exploring how some of the traditional planning theories may need to be rethought or reframed based on the impacts digital technologies are having on planning as a discipline.
Teaching
I currently contribute to a range of undergraduate modules on topics including spatial planning, digital planning, and urban design.
Biography
Qualifications
- PhD (Environmental planning and governance), Queensland University of Technology, Australia (2015)
- Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning (Honours 1A), Griffith University, Australia (2011)
Career
- Senior Lecturer, School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University, Wales (2023-present)
- Lecturer, School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University, Wales (2018-2023)
- Lecturer, School of Environment, Science, and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Australia (2016-2017)
- Sessional academic, Queensland University of Technology, Australia (2013-2016)
- Sessional academic, Griffith University, Australia (2009-2016)
Professional memberships
- Academic member of the Planning Institute of Australia
Supervisions
I am happy to supervise students interested in the following topics:
- Environmental governance
- Natural resource management planning
- Environmental planning
- Environmental policy
- Urban governance
- Urban theory
- Augmented reality games
- Public spaces
- Technology and planning
Contact Details
[email protected]
+44 29208 74970
Glamorgan Building, Room 1.63, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA
+44 29208 74970
Glamorgan Building, Room 1.63, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA