ABSTRACT
In this research there has been a focus upon the new generation of district-wide development plans and the nature of their design policies. Both the plans themselves and the scope for design control have been enhanced in recent years, the first through legislative changes (section 54A of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act), the second through more enlightened government guidance on how that legislation can be interpreted as regards design. Furthermore, as recognition of the importance of both design and environmental quality has increased through the last decades, through growing public awareness of all aspects of environmental decline, through increasing public and professional exposure to quality environments and enhancement initiatives in other countries (particularly continental Europe), and through a growing consciousness of the link between environmental quality and economic prosperity (in terms of the ability to attract new employers and employees), so design in its broadest sense has moved up the political agenda on the local, national and international (European Commission) levels.
