ABSTRACT
This chapter explains how spatial planning in the United Kingdom (UK) has been shaped by its constitution as a union state, the underlying social model and legal tradition. It highlights the challenge of spatial socio-economic disparities for planning - between north and south, between urban and rural and between rich and poor neighborhoods in cities. The chapter describes three waves of change from the early 1990s, including the attempt to change the culture of planning from primarily land-use regulation to embrace a more strategic approach. It shows that spatial development outcomes are shaped by a deeply rooted underlying doctrine and wide competition over the control of planning systems where 'no-one is in complete control', which results in more incremental and fewer strategic decisions. The chapter concludes on the general implications for the role of actors and interests in planning; the approaches to planning and tools used; and the underpinning principles of planning in the UK.
