ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the need for the coordination of plans and outlines three related fields of planning these are, physical, water management and environmental planning. It deals with a consideration of some developments that may lead to more coherent planning for the Dutch environment. In the Netherlands social, cultural and physical circumstances have led to strong governmental influence over planning, especially when compared with other Western countries. In the Netherlands policy on water management has been formulated and expressed on a separate planning system. In the Netherlands, the physical planning system, environmental planning system, and water management planning systems demonstrate coherence in the impact they have on the environment. Divergences in the theory and method of planning can generate a lack of clarity in the development and implementation of policy. Traditionally water management and physical planning have been undertaken by separate departments. The water management and physical planning took place in separate departments of the provincial authorities.
