Luke Bennett PhD, MRes, LLB Hons, PGCLTHE, SFHEA
Emeritus Fellow
Summary
Luke joined Ï㽶ÊÓƵ after practising as an environmental lawyer in the commercial sector for 17 years. He was course leader for the BSc Real Estate for over a decade and taught law and environmental policy to surveyors, construction managers and environmental managers. Luke is now an Emeritus Fellow and continues to supervise PhD students, write academic publications and edit the Journal of Property, Planning & Environmental Law alongside other public service roles.
About
Luke joined Ï㽶ÊÓƵ in 2007 after practising as an environmental lawyer in the commercial sector for 17 years. He was course leader for the BSc Real Estate for over a decade and taught law and environmental policy to surveyors, construction managers and environmental managers throughout his time in the University’s Department of the Natural & Built Environment. Alongside this Luke developed an international research profile in both legal geography and modern ruin studies, with his research focussing on how abandoned industrial and military premises are governed by their owners and accessed by recreational trespassers. Luke’s research and its rising profile resulted in award of a PhD in 2015, promotion to Reader/Associate Professor in 2016 and publication of his book In the Ruins of the Cold War Bunker: Affect, Materiality & Meaning Making (Rowman & Littlefield) in 2017. In April 2024, after four years as an acting Deputy Head of Subject (Built Environment), and due to restructuring, Luke took the opportunity to leave his staff role, and he is now an Emeritus Fellow. In that honorary capacity Luke continues to supervise PhD students at the University, write academic publications and edit the Journal of Property, Planning & Environmental Law alongside other public service roles.
Teaching
In addition to leading the BSc (Hons) Real Estate course, Luke also taught built environment law to surveying and related courses, including the following:
· Law and Economics for the Built Environment (a first year undergraduate introductory module)
· Development Practice (a final year undergraduate module)
· Property Law & Professional Context (a module on the RICS accredited MSc conversion programme)
· Construction Law & Professional Context (a module on the RICS accredited MSc conversion programme)
· Environmental Perspectives & Policy Development (a module on the MSc Environmental Management course)
Luke’s achievements in leading teaching and learning were acknowledged by conferment of Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in 2024.
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- Centre for Regional Economic and Social Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Luke has been instrumental in leading the development of thriving academic communities for both legal geography and modern ruin studies, organising international conferences, advising key stakeholders, curating collaborative research, editing publications, giving guest lectures and media interviews. Key areas of engagement and knowledge transfer have included:
- Publishing frequently cited and agenda-setting academic papers in both fields
- Playing an active role in developing UK legal geography, and building networks with legal geography communities in Asia, Australia, North American, and Europe.
- Advising public bodies on their liabilities for recreational access accidents
- Ï㽶ÊÓƵing the motives and methods of metal theft in the built environment, particularly in relation to heritage buildings
- Interpreting cultures of recreational trespass as they relate to military ruins
- Participating in international networks of scholars studying the history and re-use of military bunkers
Since 2012 Luke has also been the coordinator of the cross-university ‘’, an interdisciplinary forum which has hosted highly regarded online workshops on subjects such as campus design, climate change and contemporary exploration. Recordings of many of its sessions can be viewed via the link above.
Publications
Journal articles
Kanellopoulou, E.J., Lalor, K., & Bennett, L. (2024). A legal walk of Sheffield: foregrounding the everyday presence of law in the city. Journal of Place Management and Development, 17 (2), 159-170.
Bennett, L. (2020). Area.
Bennett, L. (2019). . Journal of War & Culture Studies, 1-10.
Bennett, L. (2019). . Revue Géographique de l'Est, 58 (1-2).
Bennett, L. (2019). . People, Place and Policy, 12 (3), 225-240.
Bennett, L. (2019). . Geographia Polonica, 92 (1).
Bennett, L. (2018). . Social & Cultural Geography, 20 (4), 596-597.
Bennett, L. (2018). . Journal of Planning History, 17 (3), 205-225.
Bennett, L., & Crawley Jackson, A. (2016). . Social and cultural geography, 18 (1), 92-108.
Bennett, L. (2016). . Geoforum, 74, 182-191.
Bennett, L., & Layard, A. (2015). . International Journal of Law in the Built Environment, 7 (1).
Bennett, L., & Layard, A. (2015). . Geography compass, 9 (7), 406-422.
Bennett, L. (2013). . Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 31 (3), 502-521.
Bennett, L. (2012). . Gender, Place and Culture, 20 (5), 630-646.
Bennett, L. (2011). . International Journal of Law in the Built Environment, 3 (2), 126-145.
Bennett, L. (2011). . Environment and planning. D , Society and space.
Bennett, L. (2011). . Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 29 (3), 421-434.
Bennett, L. (2011). . Culture and Organization, 17 (2), 155-173.
Bennett, L., & Gibbeson, C. (2010). . International Journal of Law in the Built Environment, 2 (1), 76.
Bennett, L. (2010). . Arboricultural journal, 33, 141-164.
Bennett, L. (2009). . Journal of legal affairs dispute resolution engineering and construction, 1 (2), 105-113.
Bennett, L. (2008). . Environmental law and management, 20, 176-183.
Conference papers
Bennett, L. (2021). . In Camerin, F., & Gastaldi, F. (Eds.) Rigenerare le aree militari dismesse Prospettive, dibattiti e riconversioni in Italia, Spagna e in contesti internazionali, Venice, Italy (online), 23 September 2021 - 24 September 2021 (pp. 210-220). Maggioli Editore:
Bennett, L., & Dickinson, J. (2015). . In Transience and Permanence in Urban Development International Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Workshop, University of Sheffield, Town & Regional Planning Dept, 14 January 2015 - 15 January 2015.
Bennett, L. (2011). . In COBRA 2011 - Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors International Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Conference, Manchester, UK, 12 September 2011 - 13 September 2011.
Bennett, L. (2010). . In COBRA 2010, Paris, France, 2 September 2010 - 3 September 2010.
Bennett, L. (2011). . In Ethicomp 2011 - the social impact of social computing, Sheffield, 14 September 2011 - 16 September 2011.
Book chapters
Bennett, L. (2023). . In Picard, M., Brenchat-Aguilar, A., Carroll, T., Gilbert, J., & Miller, N. (Eds.) Wastiary - A Bestiary of Waste. (pp. 81-83). London: UCL Press:
Bennett, L. (2023). . In Picard, M., Brenchat-Aguilar, A., Carroll, T., Gilbert, J., & Miller, N. (Eds.) Wastiary - A Bestiary of Waste. (pp. 81-83). London: UCL Press:
Bennett, L. (2021). . In Bartel, R., & Carter, J. (Eds.) Handbook on space, place and law. (pp. 2-13). Edward Elgar Publishing:
Bennett, L. (2017). . In Bennett, L. (Ed.) In the ruins of the Cold War bunker: Affect, materiality and meaning-making. (pp. 3-22). London: Rowan & Littlefield International:
Bennett, L. (2017). . In Bennett, L. (Ed.) In the ruins of the Cold War bunker: Affect, materiality and meaning-making. (pp. 23-38). London: Rowan & Littlefield International:
Bennett, L. (2017). . In Bennett, L. (Ed.) In the ruins of the Cold War bunker: Affect, materiality and meaning-making. (pp. 233-250). London: Rowan & Littlefield International:
Bennett, L. (2017). . In Henneberry, J. (Ed.) Transience and permanence in urban development. (pp. 17-30). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley:
Bennett, L. (2016). . In Taylor, C., & Hughes, C. (Eds.) Posthuman Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Practices in Education. (pp. 58-74). Palgrave Macmillian:
Bennett, L. (2015). . In Richardson, T. (Ed.) Walking inside out : contemporary British psychogeography. (pp. 59-72). London: Rowman & Littlefield International:
Books
Bennett, L. (Ed.). (2017). . London: Rowan & Littlefield International.
Bennett, L., & Hock, K. (2013). . Sheffield: Tract Publishing.
Theses / Dissertations
Bennett, L.E. (2015). . (Doctoral thesis).
Bennett, L. (2010). . (Doctoral thesis).
Other publications
Bennett, L. (2012). . MetalTheft.Net:
Bennett, L. (2008). . Unpublished
Bennett, L., & Crowe, L. (2008). Sheffield: Countryside recreation network
Other activities
In 2023 Luke was appointed as an academic representative to the University-wide Information & Consultation Committee.
In January 2022 Luke was appointed Editor in Chief of the Journal of Property, Planning & Environmental Law.
Postgraduate supervision
Luke has supervised one doctoral student to successful completion (Dr Charlene Cross, ‘Exploring Urban Change through Owners’ Lived Experiences of Their ‘Underutilised’ Properties’, July 2024) and remains an active supervisor to two ongoing doctoral candidates.