Projects per year
Personal profile
Interests
Dr Richard Waldron is a Lecturer in Spatial Planning in the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen's University Belfast. His research interests relate to the intersection of urban planning policy, housing markets and strategies of urban economic development. His doctoral research (2014) examined the social and economic consequences of the Irish property market collapse and mortgage arrears crisis. His work has been published in leading international, peer-reviewed journals, including GeoForum, Housing Studies, the International Journal of Housing Policy and Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie. Richard holds a Bachelor of Arts (Geography and Archaeology) and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from University College Dublin. He is a full corporate member of the Irish Planning Institute. He has presented his work at numerous international conferences and has forged close linkages with a number of important research networks in the fields of housing and urban planning. He has provided consultancy services to the Irish Housing Agency and Dublin City Council and is an article reviewer for the journals Urban Studies, Urban Studies Research and the International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis.
Research Interests
Dr Waldron's research investigates the interaction between the urban planning system and private market forces in the built environment, with a particular focus on housing. Richard is particularly interested in understanding the linkages between urban planning and housing policy and the deepening relationship between the financial system, the development sector and the state. This work is driven by interests in the fields of urban political economy, critical housing studies, financialisation and socio-spatial inequality. In this regard, my work spans a number of inter-related themes:
Financialization and the City
A burgeoning literature demonstrates how the inter-dependent relationship between the financial and real estate sectors has intensified boom-bust dynamics within urban property markets, often leading to disastrous social, economic and political impacts. Dr Waldron's work explores (1) How property markets are being reshaped in countries affected by the impacts of the financial crisis and the political economy implications; (2) How existing planning systems and policies are being reconfigured in response to the property market crash; and (3) How financial technologies, rationalities and modelling approaches are being applied within the State’s econmic and planning decision making apparatus. This body of work is funded by the Urban Studies Foundation.
Neoliberalization of housing and urban planning
This aspect of Dr Waldron's research is concerned with the role of housing in the circulation and accumulation of capital and processes of commodification, deregulation and financialisation within housing markets. Richard is particularly concerned with the adoption of neoliberal policy prescriptions within housing, urban planning and banking systems and the effects arising from the creation of highly leveraged forms of mortgage financed homeownership. This research strand is underpinned by his doctoral research, which examined the drivers and social consequences of the Irish property market crash and mortgage arrears crisis and the response of policymakers and the banking sector. This work has been published in high impact journals, including ‘GeoForum,’ Housing Studies’ and the ‘International Journal of Housing Policy.’ More recently, Dr Waldron's work has focused on the dramatic rise in homelessness that has accompanied the crisis in affordable housing supply. This work is supported through an on-going research partnership with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive.
Built Heritage Policy and Practice
This research examines the purpose and role of built heritage in public policy making and urban management strategies, particularly the intersection between strategies for heritage promotion and wider economic strategies for place-promotion and economic diversification. Issues of conflict over the commercialisation of built heritage, the promotion of service economies around built heritage and tourism development in urban historic cores are key research topics. This aspect of Dr Waldron's research is reflected in his involvement on the JPI funded Sustainable Historic Urban Cores (SHUC) project; a collaborative network of researchers with a common interest in changing practices in urban planning and management of historic cities.
Teaching
Dr Waldron is currently the module coordinator for the following:
- GIS and Spatial Analysis (EVP7032)
- Introduction to Planning and GIS Research Skills (EVP1004)
- Approaches to Property Development (EVP7023)
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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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 1 Active
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R1857NBE: Improving the PERformance of MArine GOVernance (PERMAGOV)
Flannery, W., Ellis, G., Fox-Rogers, L., Kelly, C. & Waldron, R.
08/02/2023 → …
Project: Research
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Experiencing housing precarity in the private rental sector during the Covid-19 pandemic: the case of Ireland
Waldron, R., 03 Jan 2023, In: Housing Studies. 38, 1, p. 84-106Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access49 Downloads (Pure) -
Families and housing precarity in ‘post-crisis’ Ireland
Waldron, R., 23 Nov 2022, Families, housing and property wealth in a neoliberal world. Ronald, R. & Arundel, R. (eds.). Routledge, p. 92-111Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
14 Downloads (Pure) -
Finance, real estate and the de-democratisation of planning
Waldron, R., 10 Nov 2022.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
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Generation Rent and housing precarity in Ireland
Waldron, R., 09 Jun 2022.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
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Generation Rent and housing precarity in Ireland
Waldron, R., 15 Feb 2022.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
Prizes
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Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP) - Best Published Paper Award
Waldron, Richard (Recipient), Sep 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Irish Research Council: Graduate Research Education Programme (4 Year)
Waldron, Richard (Recipient), 01 Sep 2009
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship
Waldron, Richard (Recipient), 01 Sep 2014
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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National Institute of Regional and Spatial Analysis (NUI Maynooth) Student Internship
Waldron, Richard (Recipient), 01 May 2009
Prize: Appointment
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University College Dublin, Seed Funding Programme
Waldron, Richard (Recipient), 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Democracy in the Planning System
Richard Waldron (Advisor)
04 Nov 2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Public lecture/debate/seminar
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Housing, Theory and Society (Journal)
Richard Waldron (Peer reviewer)
Nov 2022Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
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Housing Studies (Journal)
Richard Waldron (Peer reviewer)
Nov 2022 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial activity
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Housing Studies (Journal)
Richard Waldron (Peer reviewer)
Sep 2022Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
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Generation Rent and Ireland's Housing Crisis
Richard Waldron (Advisor)
20 Aug 2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Public lecture/debate/seminar
Press/Media
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Construction industry lobbying to change law and reduce planning challenges
12/12/2022
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Generation Rent risks being turned into Generation Homeless
17/02/2022
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Developers are not and never were the custodians of common good
25/07/2021
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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The consequences of turning a deaf ear to voters on housing are political dynamite
21/05/2021
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Construction yet to start on 10,000 houses and apartments
29/09/2019
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research