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There have been significant developments in the commercial property sector in the UK during the 20th century. At the beginning of the century, many buildings lacked features now taken for granted, such as central heating and air conditioning. The concept of leasing began to become established in the 1920s, and many property development companies were formed, some of which are still operating. By the middle of the 20th century, land use became more intensive, leading to skyscraper buildings in the 1960s and 1970s. Following the second world war, there was a significant expansion in office development, with the Town & Country Planning Act 1947 proving very influential.

It has been possible to use the TRANUS integrated land use and transport modelling software as the basis for systematic research into the options for planning policy. This research, which used Swindon, England, as its model, predicted the location of floorspace used by different activities and simulated the associated traffic flows. It was also possible to calculate the energy consumed by land use and transport. It was established that the combination of a central-area car ban and a wide-reaching park-and-ride network can move up to 8% of trips from cars to other modes.

Spatial planning asserts the ideal of improving quality of life by promoting, managing and regulating place making, but spatial planning practices have often been out of place in governance environments and policy cultures, with public policy framed as if place and space are irrelevant. Emerging forms of the British planning system are explored in the context of conflict management of land use and development and promoting qualities of places. New ways of working are required and changes in the formal arrangements of the planning system are needed.

The United Kingdom Town and Country Planning Act of 1947 has been followed by 50 years of successes in many areas, such as the development of new towns. The expansion of existing country towns has been less successful, though Swindon and Basingstoke are two cases which have succeeded. Development corporations had become popular by the 1970s, and urban development corporations were set up in 1981 to promote urban renewal. There was opposition to the idea of planning in the 1950s, and the same was true from 1979 until the mid 1990s, when the government started to see the need for planning.

Forecasts for city and rural planning in the United Kingdom between 1997 and 2047 may use assumptions about how we have to change our behavior. People tend to alter behavior only when forced to rather then when convinced by moral arguments. We are increasingly affluent, but there are collective consequences of our lifestyles. There is likely to be an increased demand for housing due to divorce and other factors leading to smaller households, and the population is ageing. There is likely to be increased demand for space for homes. Increased telecoms traffic is not likely to reduce demand for travel, so transportation issues will continue to be a problem.

UK planners are increasingly operating in a theoretical vacuum in which they themselves are interpreting planning case law and guidance. Planners have an influential role in development control, since few planning proposals are actually subject to central guidance or guided by a local plan. Politicians have a less significant role, since much of the debate takes place before members are involved, and in most authorities few planning proposals come before members. Article further discusses planning decisions and responds to a paper by Mark Tewdwr-Jones.

The Single European Market and the Maastricht Treaty are expected to affect town and country planning in the UK. The elimination of non-tariff boundaries and the EC's quest for regional equality will provide new geography of development; while legislative changes, especially in the area of environment, will also affect planning in Europe, and consequently the UK aswell.

Design and architecture in London have become key concerns both for residents and politicians, even though the city is no longer the centre of the world design industry. Design work in London is standing up reasonably well to the recession, however, and London-based design companies have the potential to compete well in Europe. The key issues for the future of the design industry in the city are how it comes across to its residents, the attitude of foreign customers to London design consultants and the impact of new transport on the city's infrastructure.

Milton Keynes is a unique area, neither city or urban sprawl but based on both the 'urban realm' of southern California and planned European cities. The initial plan stipulated a network of grid roads that would enable people to drive around the area, spliting the land into distinct districts. However, the architects chose to use formal urban features like squares. terraces and crescents when planning the districts. The result was considered a failure until a survey published in 1986 showed the residents liked it, although theu did not consider the whole to be a city.

An analysis of the development projects for the area around St Paul's Cathedral, for Paternoster Square and for the Isle of Dogs, all in London, UK, is used to examine the basic concepts of order, unity, scale and proportion that are used to define quality in urban design. The street, the square, the street block and the architecture of the buildings on them are discussed as elements of urban design.

IT WAS THE BREWER SAMUEL WHITBREAD WHO, IN 1810, first had the idea of constructing a can alto connect the Grand Union Canal in London to the River Great Ouse [...]

British public planning policy is examined in detail, with environmental implications assessed, in addition to implications for democracy, with a stress on the need for rational debate.

Issues concerning the architectural developments of Croydon, United Kingdom, are discussed. Particular attention is given to the retail purpose of the new architectural complex and to events leading to the opening time scheduled for 2003.

The designs for Bridgewater Place, Leeds, and the Spinningfields project, Manchester, are assessed. The buildings, designed by Abbey Holford Rowe, will be amongst the tallest in the region and include 27 and 16-storey towers.

An analysis of the property market in the Docklands area of London is presented. Canary Wharf's success in attracting business and residents is discussed and the continued demand for further office space is examined.

Local government should promote sustainable development in the United Kingdom as a statutory duty, and plans should be developed using a collaborative approach. There should be new systems to assess progress, and new planning mechanisms should be created that are flexible and can respond t unforseen needs and major proposals using agreed criteria. Community planning should include regional and local levels. Partnership trusts can be set up to promote renewal.

The Town and Country Planning Association has issued a report on the future of planning in Britain. The report outlines principles which are integrated into a framework which links work and home. The aim is to achieve a comprehensive and positive view of planning, with sustainable development as the core philosophy. There is a need for strategies and visions and new skills will be needed of planners. Planning should ensure that the world inherited by new generations is improved in ways that help society as a whole.

The UK's planners are coming under very strong pressure to use urban land as intensively as possible. However, research indicates that very few local planning authorities are actually including intensification policies in their development plans. Furthermore, difficulties are being encountered with implementing the intensification policies that are in place. Planners are strongly aware of the challenges associated with achieving sustainable urban form through intensification. They believe that there is a need for an open-minded approach to new methods and for improved support from the appeals system.

Distribution and servicing problems in UK town centres are likely to increase as the government seeks to encourage in-town instead of out-of-town development. These problems are also being exacerbated by pressure from environmental groups for lorries to be banned and by pedestrianization schemes. Shopping centre developers must now give particular attention to delivery access, and it has sometimes been necessary to develop innovative solutions.

Scotland and Wales have gained greater autonomy, and this has implications for planning issues such as land use. There are differences between Scotland and Wales, and Scotland has the ability to raise taxes, a power that Wales does not have. Wales is also more divided internally. The western areas of Wales were more in favor of greater autonomy when inhabitants voted on the issue. Welsh areas bordering England, and some coastal areas were less in favor of looser links with England. This could mean that more localised policies will be used in Wales. Constitutional change offers opportunities for improving planning policies and institutions in Wales and Scotland.

Mixed views have been expressed about the UK department of the environment's recommendations for reforming the planning system. The reforms as a whole are not likely to lead to a marked reduction in the number of planning appeals. However, there are certain areas in which the appeals process could be speeded up. The recommendations include the introduction of a mediation process, but little attention seems to have been given to the potential practical difficulties associated with such a process.

The growing opinion against large out-of-town developments in the UK has forced supermarket chains to reconsider using town centre sites. This has brought them into direct conflict with brewers, which are seeking prime locations for latest super-pubs and themed outlets. Against this background, it is proving difficult for food retailers to find appropriate town centre sites, and they often have problems obtaining planning permission. They are therefore looking to other ways of attracting customers, such as loyalty schemes.