Planning is never far from the top of the policy or media agenda,
whether this concerns 'garden-grabbing', the location of wind farms or
protests about travellers' sites. The operation of the planning system
raises strong views, even passions, and is highly political. Planners
have to engage with developers working on multi-million pound schemes
and the local communities that will be affected by such schemes. And
throughout, they have to work in the public interest, delivering on
broad policy goals and meeting the needs of vulnerable communities. This
book is about the way that the planning system works, what it can do,
what it cannot do and how it should evolve to meet the challenges of the
21st century. It looks at a range of issues to unlock the purpose of
planning by being positive about the role of planning while remaining
realistic about its achievements and potential. Written in a clear and
accessible manner, this book will be essential reading for students
studying planning in a variety of disciplines and practitioners engaging
with the planning system.