A Resilience-Driven Framework for Equitable Urban Regeneration Planning

Thesis Abstract

This study addresses the persistent inequities and fragility in urban regeneration initiatives by proposing a resilience-driven framework that integrates social equity, economic vitality, and environmental safeguards into planning practice. The aim is to develop a theoretically informed, empirically testable model that guides equitable urban regeneration processes in rapidly urbanizing regions. Specific objectives are (1) to identify resilience indicators pertinent to urban regeneration with an equity lens; (2) to develop a conceptual framework linking governance, community participation, infrastructure resilience, and spatial justice; (3) to calibrate and validate the framework through empirical analysis in case-study cities; (4) to propose policy and planning instruments that operationalize the framework across scales; and (5) to evaluate potential trade-offs and synergies among resilience, livability, and equity outcomes. The research adopts a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative stakeholder interviews to triangulate findings. The population comprises urban regeneration projects in three metropolitan districts experiencing post-disaster risks and rising housing pressures. A stratified random sample of 420 households across diverse socioeconomic strata will be surveyed to measure perceptions of resilience, accessibility to services, and exposure to displacement risk, complemented by 36 in-depth interviews with planners, community leaders, developers, and local officials. Instrument validity will be established through expert panels and pilot testing, and reliability will be assessed using Cronbach’s alpha for scale-based items. Quantitative data will be analyzed using multiple regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships among governance quality, community participation, infrastructure robustness, and equity outcomes. Qualitative data will be thematically analyzed using a reflexive coding approach, with NVivo employed to identify recurrent themes related to power dynamics, participation effectiveness, and perceived legitimacy of regeneration plans. The study will also perform a scenario-based sensitivity analysis to explore how alternative policy instruments influence resilience and equity metrics under different climate and economic stressors. The5 anticipated findings include (a) a validated resilience-equity index composed of social inclusion, housing affordability, service accessibility, and environmental safety components; (b) empirical evidence on the mediating role of governance quality and participatory mechanisms in translating resilience investments into equitable benefits; (c) identification of critical leverage points in infrastructure reinvestment that maximize social co-benefits; and (d) context-specific policy prescriptions for integrating resilience principles into statutory planning frameworks. The study contributes to knowledge by operationalizing a resilience-driven framework that explicitly embeds equity into urban regeneration theory, bridging the gap between disaster risk reduction, inclusive urbanism, and regeneration economics, and by delivering an empirically tested model with transferable policy tools for cities facing rapid growth and climate-related pressures. The main conclusion posits that resilience-enhancing regeneration is contingent on inclusive governance and participatory design that align investments with housing security and service equity, rather than focusing solely on physical upgrades. Recommendations include adopting a standardized equity impact assessment as part of regeneration planning, institutionalizing community co-management arrangements, prioritizing mixed-income housing, and embedding adaptive capacity measures in urban infrastructure procurement. The study also suggests future research to explore longitudinal impacts of the framework and to refine the resilience-equity index for cross-context comparability.