ABSTRACT
I became a planner out of a sense of idealism, a child of the era that sought to build a better world after the horrors of World War II. However, there is an enduring gap between what planning promises and what it delivers. The vision of equitable and sustainable development is inspirational. It is betrayed by realities. Over a billion people are living in slums. Despite the close association of statutory town planning with public health, almost half of city dwellers in Africa, Asia and Latin America still suffer from at least one disease caused by lack of safe water and sanitation (World Health Organisation/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, 2005).
