ABSTRACT
It is necessary to consider planning's role under a number of headings: overall national policy, local policies, development control and appeals, and planning agreements. The policy of planning is to be found only by looking at a range of materials which include centrally issue guidance from ministers, ministerial decisions on individual planning application appeals, and the various plans made under the legislation by local planning authorities. The Urban and Economic Development Group (URBED) published a report undertaken as part of the Department of the Environment's (DoE's) Planning Research Programme, Vital and Viable Town Centres: Meeting the Challenged. Government policy, however, appeared to remain clear that, despite speculation that a new wave of hypermarkets might be built, there would be no change in retail planning policy which would be directed towards promoting the viability of town and city centres.
