Professor Nicole Gurran
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Professor Nicole Gurran

PhD, University of Sydney; MURP, University of Sydney; BA, University of Sydney; Graduate Certificate of Higher Education, University of Sydney
Professor of Urban &
Regional Planning, Director, Henry Halloran Urban &
Regional Research Initiative
Phone
+61 2 9351 7729
Address
G04 - Wilkinson Building
The University of Sydney
Details
Professor Nicole Gurran

Nicole Gurran's research focuses on comparative urban planning systems and approaches to housing and ecological sustainability. She has led and collaborated on a series of research projects on aspects of urban policy, housing, sustainability and planning, funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC), the Australian Urban and Housing Research Institute (AHURI), as well as state and local government. Professor Gurran has authored and co-authored numerous publications and books includingUrban Planning and the Housing Market: International Perspectives for Policy and Practicewith Glen Bramley(Palgrave Macmillan 2017),Politics, Planning and Housing Supply in Australia, England and Hong Kong(Routledge, July 2016) , andAustralian Urban Land Use Planning: Principles, Policy, and Practice(Sydney University Press 2011, 2007).

Professor Gurran teaches urban planning and housing, and undertakes post graduate and doctoral research supervision.

Prior to joining the University, Professor Gurran practiced as a planner in several state government roles, concerning local environmental plan making, environmental management, and housing policy. She is committed to informing public policy and debate through her research, media commentary, and advice to governments, and most recently served as Co-Commissioner on the People’s Commission into the Housing Crisis.

Urban and Regional Planning and Policy
Project titleResearch student
The Nexus of Smart Cities, Informal Urbanism, and Climate Change in IndiaLekhana CHIDANANDASWAMY
Inequality of Access to Employment: Developing analytic indicators in an Australian context.Lisa MACKENZIE

Selected publications

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Publications

Books

  • Gurran, N., Bramley, G. (2017). Urban Planning and the Housing Market: International Perspectives for Policy and Practice. London: Palgrave Macmillan. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N., Gallent, N., Chiu, R. (2016). Politics, Planning and Housing Supply in Australia, England and Hong Kong. London: Routledge. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N. (2011). Australian urban land use planning - Principles, systems and practice. Sydney, Australia: Sydney University Press.

Book Chapters

  • Gurran, N. (2020). Addressing sustainability issues through land use regulation and zoning. In Simin Davoudi, Richard Cowell, Iain White, Hilda Blanco (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Environmental Planning, (pp. 317-328). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N. (2020). Land Use Planning. In Nancey Green Leigh, Steven P French, Subhrajit Guhathakurta, Bruce Stiftel (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of International Planning Education, (pp. 227-237). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
  • Searle, G., Gurran, N., Gilbert, C. (2019). Developer obligations under the New South Wales, Australia, planning system. In Demetrio Munoz Gielen, Erwin van der Krabben (Eds.), Public Infrastructure, Private Finance: Developer Obligations and Responsibilities, (pp. 203-210). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]

Journals

  • Buckle, C., Werner, G., Marshall, N., Searle, G., Osbaldiston, N., Sarkar, S., Kundu, D., Gurran, N. (2024). Place-based drivers and effective management of population growth and change in regional Australia. Final Report Series of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), 425. [More Information]
  • Shrestha, P., Gurran, N. (2023). Breaking the rules? Informal housing, urban deregulation and secondary dwellings in Australia. European Urban and Regional Studies, In print. [More Information]
  • Pill, M., Gurran, N. (2022). Australian adaptation of UK dealmaking: towards state rescaling? Local Government Studies, 49(6), 1241-1262. [More Information]

Conferences

  • Gilbert, C., Liu, S., Gurran, N. (2022). Can planning incentives deliver affordable housing in our cities and regions? Evidence from NSW. 10th State of Australasian Cities National Conference, Melbourne, Australia: Australasian Cities Research Network. [More Information]
  • Zhang, Y., Gurran, N. (2022). Could Shared Housing Make Cities More Sustainable? Evidence from Sydney, Australia. International Association for China Planning (IACP) Conference 2022, Wuhan, China: International Association for China Planning.
  • Liu, S., Gurran, N. (2022). Foreign investment in Australian housing: global housing demand and impacts in the local housing market. 10th State of Australasian Cities National Conference, Melbourne, Australia: Australasian Cities Research Network. [More Information]

Other Works

  • Milligan, V., Phibbs, P., Gurran, N., Fagan, K. (2007). Approaches to Evaluation of Affordable Housing Initiatives in Australia, July 2007, (pp. 1 - 94). Sydney, Australia: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI).
  • Gurran, N., Squires, C., Blakely, E. (2006). Meeting the Sea Change Challenge: Best Practice Models of Local and Regional Planning for Sea Change Communities. Meeting the Sea Change Challenge: Best Practice Models of Local and Regional Planning for Sea Change, Sydney, Australia: National Sea Change Taskforce Inc..
  • Gurran, N., Squires, C., Blakely, E. (2005). Meeting the Sea Change Challenge: Sea Change Communities in Coastal Australia, (pp. 1 - 61). Sydney, Australia: Faculty of Architecture, University of Sydney.

Magazine / Newspaper Articles

  • Gurran, N., Randolph, B., Phibbs, P., Ong, R., Rowley, S. (2018). Affordable housing policy failure still being fuelled by flawed analysis. The Conversation. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N., Gilbert, C. (2018). England expects 40% of new housing developments will be affordable, why can't Australia? The Conversation.
  • Gurran, N., Lawler, S. (2018). Explainer: what is 'value capture' and what does it mean for cities? The Conversation.

Report

  • Gilbert, C., Nasreen, Z., Gurran, N. (2023). Tracking the housing situation, commuting patterns and affordability challenges of essential workers: a report prepared for HOPE Housing, Sydney: The University of Sydney and HOPE Housing.
  • Cornell, C., Gurran, N., Lea, T. (2020). Climate change, housing, and health: A scoping study on intersections between vulnerability, housing tenure, and potential adaptation responses.
  • Gurran, N., Pill, M., Maalsen, S., Alizadeh, T., Shrestha, P. (2019). Informal accommodation and vulnerable households in metropolitan Sydney: Scale, drivers and policy responses.

Other

  • Gurran, N. (2007), Planning without the greed. Opinion.

Research Reports

  • Gurran, N., Phibbs, P., Gilbert, C., Zhang, Y. (2018). Options to improve key worker access to home ownership, January 2018, (pp. 1 - 32). Sydney, Australia, Australia: Urban Housing Lab.
  • Gurran, N., Zhang, Y., Shrestha, P., Gilbert, C. (2018). Planning responses to online short term holiday rental platforms, (pp. 1 - 76). Melbourne, Australia, Australia: Australian Coastal Councils Association Inc..
  • Gurran, N., Norman, B., Gilbert, C., Hamin, E. (2011). Planning for climate change adaptation in Coastal Australia: State of practice, (pp. 5 - 83). Sydney, Australia: Faculty of Architecture Design and Planning, The University of Sydney.

2024

  • Buckle, C., Werner, G., Marshall, N., Searle, G., Osbaldiston, N., Sarkar, S., Kundu, D., Gurran, N. (2024). Place-based drivers and effective management of population growth and change in regional Australia. Final Report Series of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), 425. [More Information]

2023

  • Shrestha, P., Gurran, N. (2023). Breaking the rules? Informal housing, urban deregulation and secondary dwellings in Australia. European Urban and Regional Studies, In print. [More Information]
  • Gilbert, C., Nasreen, Z., Gurran, N. (2023). Tracking the housing situation, commuting patterns and affordability challenges of essential workers: a report prepared for HOPE Housing, Sydney: The University of Sydney and HOPE Housing.

2022

  • Pill, M., Gurran, N. (2022). Australian adaptation of UK dealmaking: towards state rescaling? Local Government Studies, 49(6), 1241-1262. [More Information]
  • Gilbert, C., Liu, S., Gurran, N. (2022). Can planning incentives deliver affordable housing in our cities and regions? Evidence from NSW. 10th State of Australasian Cities National Conference, Melbourne, Australia: Australasian Cities Research Network. [More Information]
  • Zhang, Y., Gurran, N. (2022). Could Shared Housing Make Cities More Sustainable? Evidence from Sydney, Australia. International Association for China Planning (IACP) Conference 2022, Wuhan, China: International Association for China Planning.

2021

  • Gurran, N., Shrestha, P. (2021). Airbnb, platform capitalism and the globalised home. Critical Housing Analysis, 8(1), 107-118.
  • Gilbert, C., Gurran, N. (2021). Can ceding planning controls for major projects support metropolitan housing supply and diversity? The case of Sydney, Australia. Land Use Policy, 102, 105278. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N., Pill, M., Maalsen, S. (2021). Hidden homes? Uncovering Sydney's informal housing market. Urban Studies, 58, 1712-1731. [More Information]

2020

  • Gurran, N., Zhang, Y., Shrestha, P. (2020). 'Pop-up' tourism or 'invasion'? Airbnb in coastal Australia. Annals of Tourism Research, 81(March 2020), 1-17. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N. (2020). Addressing sustainability issues through land use regulation and zoning. In Simin Davoudi, Richard Cowell, Iain White, Hilda Blanco (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Environmental Planning, (pp. 317-328). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
  • Cornell, C., Gurran, N., Lea, T. (2020). Climate change, housing, and health: A scoping study on intersections between vulnerability, housing tenure, and potential adaptation responses.

2019

  • Gurran, N. (2019). Book Review: Planning gain: providing infrastructure and affordable housing. Housing Studies, 24(2), 380-381. [More Information]
  • Searle, G., Gurran, N., Gilbert, C. (2019). Developer obligations under the New South Wales, Australia, planning system. In Demetrio Munoz Gielen, Erwin van der Krabben (Eds.), Public Infrastructure, Private Finance: Developer Obligations and Responsibilities, (pp. 203-210). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N., Pill, M., Maalsen, S., Alizadeh, T., Shrestha, P. (2019). Informal accommodation and vulnerable households in metropolitan Sydney: Scale, drivers and policy responses.

2018

  • Gurran, N., Randolph, B., Phibbs, P., Ong, R., Rowley, S. (2018). Affordable housing policy failure still being fuelled by flawed analysis. The Conversation. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N., Gilbert, C. (2018). England expects 40% of new housing developments will be affordable, why can't Australia? The Conversation.
  • Gurran, N., Lawler, S. (2018). Explainer: what is 'value capture' and what does it mean for cities? The Conversation.

2017

  • Rowley, S., Gurran, N., Phibbs, P. (2017). Australia's almost a world leader in home building, so that isn't a fix for affordability. The Conversation.
  • Gurran, N., Phibbs, P. (2017). Australian governments are treading lightly around Airbnb. The Conversation.
  • Liu, S., Gurran, N. (2017). Chinese investment in Australian housing: push and pull factors and implications for understanding international housing demand. International Journal of Housing Policy, 17(4), 489-511. [More Information]

2016

  • Gurran, N., Phibbs, P. (2016). 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams': Planning, Housing Supply and Affordability in Urban Australia. Built Environment, 42(1), 55-71. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N., Phibbs, P. (2016). How the Property Council is shaping the debate around negative gearing, taxes. The Conversation.
  • Gurran, N., Ruming, K. (2016). Less planning, more development? Housing and urban reform discourses in Australia. Journal of Economic Policy Reform, 19(3), 262-280. [More Information]

2015

  • Gurran, N., Phibbs, P. (2015). Are Governments Really Interested in Fixing the Housing Problem? Policy Capture and Busy Work in Australia. Housing Studies, 30(5), 711-729. [More Information]
  • Hamin, E., Gurran, N. (2015). Climbing the Adaptation Planning Ladder: Barriers and Enablers in Municipal Planning. In Walter Leal Filho (Eds.), Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, (pp. 839-860). Berlin: Springer-Verlag. [More Information]
  • Van den Nouwelant, R., Davison, G., Gurran, N., Pinnegar, S., Randolph, B. (2015). Delivering affordable housing through the planning system in urban renewal contexts: converging government roles in Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales. Australian Planner, 52(2), 77-89. [More Information]

2014

  • Ruming, K., Gurran, N., Maginn, P., Goodman, R. (2014). A national planning agenda? Unpacking the influence of federal urban policy on state planning reform. Australian Planner, 51(2), 108-121. [More Information]
  • Ruming, K., Gurran, N. (2014). Australian planning system reform. Australian Planner, 51(2), 102-107. [More Information]
  • Hamin, E., Gurran, N., Emlinger, A. (2014). Barriers to Municipal Climate Adaptation: Examples From Coastal Massachusetts' Smaller Cities and Towns. Journal of the American Planning Association, 80(2), 110-122. [More Information]

2013

  • Gurran, N. (2013). A more sustainable Australia: from suburbia to newburbia. The Conversation. [More Information]
  • Chui, R., Gurran, N. (2013). China plans 36 million affordable homes. Lessons for Australia. The Conversation. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N., Norman, B., Hamin, E. (2013). Climate change adaptation in coastal Australia: An audit of planning practice. Ocean and Coastal Management, 86, 100-109. [More Information]

2012

  • Davidson, G., Gurran, N., Van den Nouwelant, R., Pinnegar, S., William, R. (2012). Affordable Housing, Urban Renewal and Planning: Emerging Practice in Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales. Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Final Report, (195), 1-122.
  • Gurran, N. (2012). Environment: Celebrate biodiversity. The Daily Telegraph.
  • Gurran, N., Norman, B., Hamin, E. (2012). Population Growth and Change in Non-Metropolitan Coastal Australia. In Robin Ganser and Rocky Piro (Eds.), Parallel Patterns of Shrinking Cities and Urban Growth, (pp. 165-184). Surrey, United Kingdom: Ashgate. [More Information]

2011

  • Gurran, N. (2011). Australian urban land use planning - Principles, systems and practice. Sydney, Australia: Sydney University Press.
  • Gurran, N., Hamin, E., Norman, B. (2011). Climate change mitigation, adaptation and local planning. In Nicole Gurran (Eds.), Australian urban land use planning - Principles, systems and practice, (pp. 237-249). Sydney, Australia: Sydney University Press.
  • Bhattarai, A., Gurran, N. (2011). Culture, Cities and Environment: An eco-footprint study of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. World Planning Schools Congress 2011 (WPSC 2011), Perth, Australia: University of Western Australia.

2010

  • Gurran, N., Ruming, K., Randolph, B. (2010). How do planning requirements impact housing costs and the development process? AHURI Research and Policy Bulletin, (125).
  • Gurran, N., Phibbs, P. (2010). Measuring regulatory difference: findings from the first national survey of local planning control in Australia. 2010 Conference of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, Minneapolis: ACSP.
  • Austin, P., Gurran, N., Whitehead, C. (2010). Planning and affordable housing:diverse approaches from a common starting point? The Experience of Australia, New Zealand and the UK. CCHPR Conference 2010, Cambridge UK: Cambridge Centre for housing and Planning Research.

2009

  • Gurran, N., Ruming, K., Randolph, B. (2009). Counting the costs: planning requirements, infrastructure contributions, and residential development in Australia. Final Report Series of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), 140, 9-110.
  • Gurran, N., Ruming, K., Randolph, B. (2009). Does planning make housing unaffordable? State of Australian Cities National Conference 09, Perth: Australian Sustainable Cities Research Network.
  • Milligan, V., Phibbs, P., Gurran, N., Lawson,, J., Phillips, R. (2009). Growth and innovation in affordable housing in Australia: the role of not-for-profit providers. AHURI Research and Policy Bulletin, 119, 1-4.

2008

  • Gurran, N. (2008). Affordable Housing: A Dilemma for Metropolitan Planning? Urban Policy and Research, 26(1), 101-110. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N. (2008). Book Review 'Talking about Sydney'. Urban Policy and Research, 26(2), 229-231. [More Information]
  • Gurran, N., Milligan, V., Baker, D., Bugg, L., Christensen, S. (2008). New directions in planning for affordable housing: Australian and international evidence and implications. Final Report Series of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), (120), 1-144.

2007

  • Milligan, V., Phibbs, P., Gurran, N., Fagan, K. (2007). Approaches to Evaluation of Affordable Housing Initiatives in Australia, July 2007, (pp. 1 - 94). Sydney, Australia: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI).
  • Gurran, N. (2007). Academy of Science, Fenner Conference on the Environment: Water, Population and Australia's Urban Future. Fenner Conference on the Environment: Water, Populationa and Australia's Urban Future 2007, Canberra, online url: Australian Academy of Science.
  • Gurran, N. (2007). Australian urban land use planning: introducing statutory planning practice in New South Wales. Sydney: Sydney University Press.

2006

  • Gurran, N. (2006). Book Review: Vortex Cities to Sustainable Cities. Urban Policy and Research, 24(3), 424-427.
  • Jacobs, K., Natalier, K., Slatter, M., Berry, M., Stoakes, A., Hutchison, H., Grieve, S., Phibbs, P., Gurran, N. (2006). How Effective Are Private Rental Support Programs. Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Research and Policy Bulletin.
  • Gurran, N., Squires, C., Blakely, E. (2006). Meeting the Sea Change Challenge: Best Practice Models of Local and Regional Planning for Sea Change Communities. Meeting the Sea Change Challenge: Best Practice Models of Local and Regional Planning for Sea Change, Sydney, Australia: National Sea Change Taskforce Inc..

2005

  • Gurran, N., Squires, C., Blakely, E. (2005). Meeting the Sea Change Challenge: Sea Change Communities in Coastal Australia, (pp. 1 - 61). Sydney, Australia: Faculty of Architecture, University of Sydney.
  • Jacobs, K., Natalier, K., Slatter, M., Berry, M., Stoakes, A., Seelig, T., Hutchison, H., Grieve, S., Phibbs, P., Gurran, N. (2005). A review of private rental support programs. Final Report Series of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), 86, 1-59.
  • Beatley, T., Gurran, N. (2005). Coastal Management in Australia and the US: Comparative Analysis and Planning Implications. Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning Conference, United States: Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.

2004

  • Milligan, V., Phibbs, P., Fagan, K., Gurran, N. (2004). A Practical Framework for Expanding Affordable Housing Services in Australia: Learning from Experience.
  • Greenhalgh, E., Minnery, J., Miller, A., Gurran, N., Jacobs, K. (2004). Boarding houses and government supply-side intervention. AHURI Positioning Paper, 067, 1-56.
  • Greenhalgh, E., Miller, A., Minnery, J., Gurran, N., Jacobs, K., Phibbs, P. (2004). Boarding Houses and Supply – Side Intervention. Final Report Series of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), 54, 1-67.

2003

  • Gurran, N. (2003). Housing and Sustainable Urban Development: Evaluating Local Housing Strategies in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. Planning Institute of Australia National Conference, Australia: Planning Institute of Australia.
  • Gurran, N. (2003). Housing Locally: Positioning Australian Local Government housing for a New Century. Urban Policy and Research, 21(4), 393-412.
  • Gurran, N. (2003). Local Governments and Housing. Community Housing Forum.

2002

  • Gurran, N. (2002). Crossing the Boundaries: Conservation and Settlement Planning in National Park Communities of NSW Australia. 2002 Conference for the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, United States: Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.
  • Gurran, N. (2002). for environmental stewardship in NSW World Heritage Areas. Planning Institute of Australia Conference NSW Division, Australia: Planning Institute of Australia.
  • Gurran, N. (2002). Housing Policy and Sustainable Urban Development: Evaluating the Use of Local Housing Strategies in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

2001

  • Gurran, N. (2001). Planning for Park Communities in New South Wales, Bundjalung National Park Survey of Local Residents.
  • Gurran, N. (2001). Planning for Park Communities in New South Wales, Dorrigo National Park Survey of Local Residents.

Selected Grants

2024

  • Short term rental accommodation: models, impacts and policy responses, Gurran N, Troy L, Phibbs P, Shrestha P, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Ltd (AHURI)/National Housing Research Program - Research Projects

2022

  • Inquiry into projecting Australias urban and regional futures: population dynamics, regional mobility and planning responses, Gurran N, Baker E, Han H, Buckle C, Yanotti M, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Ltd (AHURI)/Research Grant

Related research articles

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