ABSTRACT

As a consequence of the debates held at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and the United Nations Bruntland Commission, the UK government is committed to the concept of ‘sustainable development’, i.e. ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (United Nations, 1987). In 1988 the EU parliament issued a directive requiring the environmental impact of a large number of developments to be formally assessed, and the subsequent publication by the government of the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations set out specific requirements in this regard (see ‘Environmental impact assessment’). Since the late 1980s there has been increased linkage between town planning and environmental law and regulations.