ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the theory and practice related to energy, land use and planning, examines possibilities and constraints, and considers how research in this field might most fruitfully be developed in future. In some cases, as in the Scandinavian countries, energy considerations have been integrated into the land use planning process within the framework of a strong national commitment to energy efficiency. The chapter explores the interactive relationship between energy and spatial structure, considering both the energy implications of urban trends and the possible spatial implications of energy constraints: both areas are characterized by great uncertainty. At the wider urban and regional scales, research has focused on reducing intrinsic energy requirements by reducing the need to travel. In the U.K., the lack of physical constraints represented by a green field situation is sometimes reinforced by the status of development corporations, which are usually granted stronger powers than conventional planning authorities.
