Dr Matthew Wargent
BA(Hons) MA PhD AssocRTPI FHEA
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Matthew Wargent
Lecturer in Urban Planning and Development
Overview
I am a social scientist who researches the planning, development, and governance of cities. My research focuses on public participation and the contested politics of community development, the changing nature of expertise in planning and urban governance, and how digital technology increasingly structures spatial decision-making. In 2026, I will join the BU Initiative on Cities as a Visiting Research Scholar focused on digital planning technologies.
Showing how theory can inform and strengthen planning practice is central to my teaching and research. A recent volume, Critical Planning Futures, co-edited with Phil Allmendinger and Mark Tewdwr-Jones, brings together international contributors to challenge assumptions in planning theory and discover more critical, creative and globally-relevant directions for the field.
I am currently Viewpoints and Book Reviews Editor at Town Planning Review. Please get in contact if you have an idea for a Viewpoint or have a forthcoming manuscript you would like to be considered for review. Prior to joining Cardiff in October 2021, I held research positions at the University of Reading and UCL. I completed my PhD at the University of Sheffield in 2017 funded by the ESRC.
Publication
2025
- Allmendinger, P. , Wargent, M. and Tewdwr-Jones, M. 2025. Epilogue: in search of planning theory. In: Allmendinger, P. , Tewdwr-Jones, M. and Wargent, M. eds. Critical Planning Futures: New Directions for Planning Theory. London: Routledge. , pp.222-232. (10.4324/9781003402855-13)
- Harris, N. et al. 2025. Delivering public health and well-being priorities through Local Development Plans (LDPs) in Wales. Project Report.[Online].Public Health Wales NHS Trust. Available at: https://phwwhocc.co.uk/resources/delivering-public-health-and-well-being-priorities-through-local-development-plans-ldps-in-wales/.
- Lynn, T. et al., 2025. Towards everyday conceptions of justice in community led planning. Planning Practice and Research 40 (5), pp.972-990. (10.1080/02697459.2025.2511693)
- Wargent, M. 2025. Datafied planning and the politics of expertise. Presented at: International Lecture Series: Planning in Transition Linköping, Sweden 12 November 2025.
- Wargent, M. , Tewdwr-Jones, M. and Allmendinger, P. 2025. Critical planning futures. In: Allmendinger, P. , Tewdwr-Jones, M. and Wargent, M. eds. Critical Planning Futures: New Directions for Planning Theory. London: Routledge. , pp.1-10. (10.4324/9781003402855-1)
2024
- Shepherd, E. and Wargent, M. 2024. Embedding the land market: Polanyi, urban planning, and regulation. Environment and Planning A 56 (3), pp.905-926. (10.1177/0308518X231203484)
- Smeds, E. et al., 2024. ‘Seeing like a citizen’: rethinking city street transformations through the lens of epistemic justice. Planning Theory and Practice 24 (5), pp.697-729. (10.1080/14649357.2023.2273664)
2023
- Inch, A. , Wargent, M. and Tait, M. 2023. Serving the public interest? Towards a history of private sector planning expertise in England. Planning Perspectives 38 (2), pp.231-251. (10.1080/02665433.2022.2063165)
- Lynn, T. , Parker, G. and Wargent, M. 2023. Underrepresented neighbourhood plan areas in Middlesbrough. Project Report.Peterborough: Kingfisher Commons.
- Parker, G. et al., 2023. Neighbourhood planning in England: a decade of institutional learning. Progress in Planning 174 100749. (10.1016/j.progress.2023.100749)
- Salter, K. , Parker, G. and Wargent, M. 2023. Localism and the will to housing: neighbourhood development plans and their role in local housing site delivery in England. Planning Practice and Research 38 (2), pp.253-273. (10.1080/02697459.2022.2145032)
- Wargent, M. 2023. Digital participatory planning: citizen engagement, democracy, and design. [Book Review]. Journal of the American Planning Association 89 (2), pp.262-264. (10.1080/01944363.2023.2174350)
2022
- Parker, G. , Sturzaker, J. and Wargent, M. 2022. Levelling up neighbourhoods - back to the very local future?. Town and Country Planning 91 (3-4), pp.99-101.
2021
- Wargent, M. 2021. Localism, governmentality and failing technologies: the case of neighbourhood planning in England. Territory, Politics, Governance 9 (4), pp.571-591. (10.1080/21622671.2020.1737209)
- Wargent, M. and Talen, E. 2021. Rethinking neighbourhoods. Town Planning Review 92 (1), pp.89–95. (10.3828/tpr.2020.43)
2020
- Parker, G. et al., 2020. The future of the planning profession. Planning Theory and Practice 21 (3), pp.453-480. (10.1080/14649357.2020.1776014)
- Parker, G. et al., 2020. Impacts of Neighbourhood Planning in England.
- Parker, G. , Wargent, M. and Street, E. 2020. Planning by gaslight: on reforms, skills and political work in planning. Town & Country Planning 89 (11/12), pp.371-373.
- Wargent, M. , Parker, G. and Street, E. 2020. Private expertise and the reorganization of spatial planning in England. In: Moisio, S. et al., Handbook on the Changing Geographies of the State: New Spaces of Geopolitics. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. , pp.416-427.
2019
- Parker, G. , Salter, K. and Wargent, M. 2019. Neighbourhood planning in practice. London: Lund Humphries.
- Parker, G. , Street, E. and Wargent, M. 2019. Advocates, advisors and scrutineers: the technocracies of private sector planning in England. In: Raco, M. and Savini, F. eds. Planning and Knowledge: How New Forms of Technocracy are Shaping Contemporary Cities. Bristol: Policy Press. , pp.157-167. (10.1332/policypress/9781447345244.003.0012)
- Wargent, M. 2019. Soft spaces in Europe: re-negotiating governance, boundaries and borders [Book Review]. People, Place and Policy 12 (3), pp.265-268. (10.3351/ppp.2019.2727638372)
- Wargent, M. , Parker, G. and Street, E. 2019. Public-private entanglements: consultant use by local planning authorities in England. European Planning Studies 28 (1), pp.192-210. (10.1080/09654313.2019.1677565)
2018
- Parker, G. , Street, E. and Wargent, M. 2018. The rise of the private sector in fragmentary planning in England. Planning Theory and Practice 19 (5), pp.734-750. (10.1080/14649357.2018.1532529)
- Wargent, M. 2018. Cities in time: temporary urbanism and the future of the city, Ali Madanipour [Book Review]. Town Planning Review 89 (5), pp.548-549. (10.3828/tpr.2018.36a)
- Wargent, M. 2018. "Localism and neighbourhood planning: power to the people?" edited by Sue Brownill and Quintin Bradley [Book Review]. International Journal of Housing Policy 18 (2), pp.351-353. (10.1080/19491247.2017.1417883)
- Wargent, M. and Parker, G. 2018. Re-imagining neighbourhood governance: the future of neighbourhood planning in England. Town Planning Review 89 (4), pp.379-402. (10.3828/tpr.2018.23)
2017
- Parker, G. , Lynn, T. and Wargent, M. 2017. Contestation and conservatism in neighbourhood planning in England: reconciling agonism and collaboration?. Planning Theory and Practice 18 (3), pp.446-465. (10.1080/14649357.2017.1316514)
2015
- Parker, G. , Lynn, T. and Wargent, M. 2015. Sticking to the script? The co-production of neighbourhood planning in England. Town Planning Review 86 (5), pp.519-536. (10.3828/tpr.2015.31)
Articles
- Inch, A. , Wargent, M. and Tait, M. 2023. Serving the public interest? Towards a history of private sector planning expertise in England. Planning Perspectives 38 (2), pp.231-251. (10.1080/02665433.2022.2063165)
- Lynn, T. et al., 2025. Towards everyday conceptions of justice in community led planning. Planning Practice and Research 40 (5), pp.972-990. (10.1080/02697459.2025.2511693)
- Parker, G. , Lynn, T. and Wargent, M. 2017. Contestation and conservatism in neighbourhood planning in England: reconciling agonism and collaboration?. Planning Theory and Practice 18 (3), pp.446-465. (10.1080/14649357.2017.1316514)
- Parker, G. , Lynn, T. and Wargent, M. 2015. Sticking to the script? The co-production of neighbourhood planning in England. Town Planning Review 86 (5), pp.519-536. (10.3828/tpr.2015.31)
- Parker, G. , Street, E. and Wargent, M. 2018. The rise of the private sector in fragmentary planning in England. Planning Theory and Practice 19 (5), pp.734-750. (10.1080/14649357.2018.1532529)
- Parker, G. , Sturzaker, J. and Wargent, M. 2022. Levelling up neighbourhoods - back to the very local future?. Town and Country Planning 91 (3-4), pp.99-101.
- Parker, G. et al., 2020. The future of the planning profession. Planning Theory and Practice 21 (3), pp.453-480. (10.1080/14649357.2020.1776014)
- Parker, G. et al., 2023. Neighbourhood planning in England: a decade of institutional learning. Progress in Planning 174 100749. (10.1016/j.progress.2023.100749)
- Parker, G. , Wargent, M. and Street, E. 2020. Planning by gaslight: on reforms, skills and political work in planning. Town & Country Planning 89 (11/12), pp.371-373.
- Salter, K. , Parker, G. and Wargent, M. 2023. Localism and the will to housing: neighbourhood development plans and their role in local housing site delivery in England. Planning Practice and Research 38 (2), pp.253-273. (10.1080/02697459.2022.2145032)
- Shepherd, E. and Wargent, M. 2024. Embedding the land market: Polanyi, urban planning, and regulation. Environment and Planning A 56 (3), pp.905-926. (10.1177/0308518X231203484)
- Smeds, E. et al., 2024. ‘Seeing like a citizen’: rethinking city street transformations through the lens of epistemic justice. Planning Theory and Practice 24 (5), pp.697-729. (10.1080/14649357.2023.2273664)
- Wargent, M. 2018. Cities in time: temporary urbanism and the future of the city, Ali Madanipour [Book Review]. Town Planning Review 89 (5), pp.548-549. (10.3828/tpr.2018.36a)
- Wargent, M. 2023. Digital participatory planning: citizen engagement, democracy, and design. [Book Review]. Journal of the American Planning Association 89 (2), pp.262-264. (10.1080/01944363.2023.2174350)
- Wargent, M. 2018. "Localism and neighbourhood planning: power to the people?" edited by Sue Brownill and Quintin Bradley [Book Review]. International Journal of Housing Policy 18 (2), pp.351-353. (10.1080/19491247.2017.1417883)
- Wargent, M. 2021. Localism, governmentality and failing technologies: the case of neighbourhood planning in England. Territory, Politics, Governance 9 (4), pp.571-591. (10.1080/21622671.2020.1737209)
- Wargent, M. 2019. Soft spaces in Europe: re-negotiating governance, boundaries and borders [Book Review]. People, Place and Policy 12 (3), pp.265-268. (10.3351/ppp.2019.2727638372)
- Wargent, M. and Parker, G. 2018. Re-imagining neighbourhood governance: the future of neighbourhood planning in England. Town Planning Review 89 (4), pp.379-402. (10.3828/tpr.2018.23)
- Wargent, M. , Parker, G. and Street, E. 2019. Public-private entanglements: consultant use by local planning authorities in England. European Planning Studies 28 (1), pp.192-210. (10.1080/09654313.2019.1677565)
- Wargent, M. and Talen, E. 2021. Rethinking neighbourhoods. Town Planning Review 92 (1), pp.89–95. (10.3828/tpr.2020.43)
Book sections
- Allmendinger, P. , Wargent, M. and Tewdwr-Jones, M. 2025. Epilogue: in search of planning theory. In: Allmendinger, P. , Tewdwr-Jones, M. and Wargent, M. eds. Critical Planning Futures: New Directions for Planning Theory. London: Routledge. , pp.222-232. (10.4324/9781003402855-13)
- Parker, G. , Street, E. and Wargent, M. 2019. Advocates, advisors and scrutineers: the technocracies of private sector planning in England. In: Raco, M. and Savini, F. eds. Planning and Knowledge: How New Forms of Technocracy are Shaping Contemporary Cities. Bristol: Policy Press. , pp.157-167. (10.1332/policypress/9781447345244.003.0012)
- Wargent, M. , Parker, G. and Street, E. 2020. Private expertise and the reorganization of spatial planning in England. In: Moisio, S. et al., Handbook on the Changing Geographies of the State: New Spaces of Geopolitics. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. , pp.416-427.
- Wargent, M. , Tewdwr-Jones, M. and Allmendinger, P. 2025. Critical planning futures. In: Allmendinger, P. , Tewdwr-Jones, M. and Wargent, M. eds. Critical Planning Futures: New Directions for Planning Theory. London: Routledge. , pp.1-10. (10.4324/9781003402855-1)
Books
- Parker, G. , Salter, K. and Wargent, M. 2019. Neighbourhood planning in practice. London: Lund Humphries.
Conferences
- Wargent, M. 2025. Datafied planning and the politics of expertise. Presented at: International Lecture Series: Planning in Transition Linköping, Sweden 12 November 2025.
Monographs
- Harris, N. et al. 2025. Delivering public health and well-being priorities through Local Development Plans (LDPs) in Wales. Project Report.[Online].Public Health Wales NHS Trust. Available at: https://phwwhocc.co.uk/resources/delivering-public-health-and-well-being-priorities-through-local-development-plans-ldps-in-wales/.
- Lynn, T. , Parker, G. and Wargent, M. 2023. Underrepresented neighbourhood plan areas in Middlesbrough. Project Report.Peterborough: Kingfisher Commons.
- Parker, G. et al., 2020. Impacts of Neighbourhood Planning in England.
Research
- 2025: Public Health Wales – Delivering public health and well-being priorities through Local Development Plans in Wales, £11,402
- 2023-2026: Nuffield Foundation – Just Neighbourhoods? Under-representation in UK Community-Led Planning, £269,614
- 2023: Middlesbrough Council – Underrepresented Neighbourhood Plan Areas within Middlesbrough, £15,100
- 2021-2022: British Academy and Canadian Institute for Advanced Research – What is the street for? Interrogating ‘ways of seeing’ and the epistemic justice of reconfiguring public space, £4,991
- 2021-2022: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada – Canada-UK Workshop on Devolution, CAD$5,000
- 2021-2022: British Academy and Canadian Institute for Advanced Research – Local political autonomy in multi-level governance, £5,000
- 2021: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – Impact of Neighbourhood Planning in England, £63,039
- 2018-2022: British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship, £316,305
Teaching
I am currently Course Director for the BSc Urban Planning and Development and teach on the following modules:
- Property, Urban Development and Regeneration (UG, module leader)
- Community Engagement, Mediation and Negotiation Skills (UG)
- Planning Theory and Practice (UG)
- Digital Planning and Development (PG, module leader)
I have previously contributed to various modules across the School, including: Governing Urban and Regional Dynamics; Planning and Real Estate; Space and Place: International Planning Practice; and Digital Planning.
Contact Details
[email protected]
+44 29208 75281
Glamorgan Building, Room 1.52, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA
+44 29208 75281
Glamorgan Building, Room 1.52, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA