The general object of town and country planning may be stated as the co-ordination and control of the development of land so as to secure the best use of all the available space, having due regard to both national and local interests and to the physical, social and economic welfare of the country. The basis of the system set out in the first part of the Act of 1947 is the preparation of development plans by the local planning authorities. When a development plan is formally submitted to the Secretary of State, it is accompanied by a report of the survey on which it is based. It was realised at once that the planning control system would bring not only large institutions but small firms and private individuals in contact with a difficult body of law, over matters which might be of the greatest importance to them.