Professor Richard Farnell

Richard is Professor of Neighbourhood Regeneration with research interests in community participation, working in partnership with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Institute of Community Cohesion and Government agencies.

He has extensive experience in the education of professional planners, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In addition, expertise includes professional development for regeneration specialists through initiatives with the British Urban Regeneration Association [BURA] and the West Midlands Centre of Excellence for Regeneration [RegenWM] and professional development for those involved in developing and delivering community cohesion policy.

Richard is a member of the Charity Commission’s ‘Advisory Group on Faith’. He has recently completed four years as an adviser on ‘faith and cohesion’ to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for its research and development work in Bradford and has completed a ‘round-up’ paper identifying the learning from the first five year phase of this programme.

He is currently working on research for the Oxfordshire Voluntary Sector Development Partnership on the contribution of faith communities to ‘building better neighbourhoods’. This builds on published research into the relationship of ‘faith’ to urban regeneration, rural communities and social capital.

He has recently retired as a Chartered Town Planner, is a Canon Theologian of Coventry Cathedral, a former board member of the Church Urban Fund, Chair of Midland Heart Housing Association and the Extra Care Charitable Trust.