ABSTRACT

This chapter outlines a number of challenges for planning, not the least of which is operating in an environment where neoliberal ideology is increasingly dominant. Perhaps in a quest for increasing relevance, planning has reformulated itself, most recently in the guise of 'spatial planning', which promises greater 'realism', though this is accompanied by the risk of a descent into pragmatism. The key role of spatial planning is to promote a more rational arrangement of activities and to reconcile competing policy goals. The scope of spatial planning differs greatly from one country to another, but most share a number of similarities. There is clearly a relationship between planning regulation and the property market, for the presence or absence of approval to build has a material effect on land values. Planning has often been accused of paying insufficient attention to policy implementation, whilst some empirical research has suggested that 'plan implementation practice is generally poor'.