Introduction

There is a degree of public dissatisfaction with the outcome of planning policies, which in turn stimulates planners to seek improvements. There has been a growing interest in studying the planning systems of other countries, and of comparative studies particularly related to Europe. In the case of Britain, this represents a belated response to entry into the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973. The countries of Western Europe have all, in the postwar era, experienced a high degree of urbanisation. The original members of the EEC come first, roughly in order of size of their population. A way in which the EEC may have an influence on planning is by means of measures which affect the planners themselves. The main general requirement was to discuss the scope and style of planning practice, the principal issues facing planning authorities, and the procedures and policies adopted in response. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.