ABSTRACT

If people are to enjoy and maintain a reasonable quality of life in the place where they live, then issues relating to land use planning should obviously concern them. The very word ‘planning’ suggests change, and the legislation and policies developed should aim to maintain and improve the environment as an attractive place in which to live and work, operating in the wider public interest. The overall structure for administering the rules on planning is headed by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, who has power over local planning authorities. The definition of the term ‘development’ has two aspects: ‘operations’ and ‘material changes of use’. An operation results in changes to the physical form of the land which will have some degree of permanence. ‘Building’ is defined to include structure or erection, but does not include the plant and machinery within the building.