ABSTRACT
Although the 1980s saw many debates on the north/south divide and regional problems in this country, the focus of planning policies was largely upon the inner city. The solution to regional problems in the 1980s was seen by the government as being provided increasingly via the market mechanism. However, in the 1990s, regional issues and the need for regional-strategic planning guidance has emerged at the top of the planning agenda for several reasons. These have included increasing disparities both between and within regions: inflationary pressures, green issues and development pressures in the southern half of Britain; the impact of the 1992 European Community Single Market and opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994; and the need for strategic thinking and solutions to several regional questions, which have usually involved large-scale investment projects.
