ABSTRACT
A key premise of this chapter is that the regional level of planning is a particularly appropriate level of planning for the integration of bio-physical and socioeconomic development issues, and for the delivery of sustainable development. Yet such delivery has often foundered on the twin rocks of institutional and methodological constraints. This chapter focuses on the positive approaches to overcome such constraints over the last two decades, with a particular focus on what can be summed up under the generic heading of sustainability assessment. The chapter outlines the evolution, with particular reference to the UK, in its EU context, of approaches to such assessment via environmental impact assessment (EIA) for major and strategic projects, and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and sustainability appraisal (SA) for plans and programmes. It includes examples of innovative applications of EIA, SEA and SA, in relation to UK major projects, multi-modal transport corridor studies, EU Structural Funds, and the new generation of English regional spatial strategies. It concludes with an assessment of progress to date towards the goal of a more integrated approach to sustainable development.
