This is an account of urban planning in Britain between 1830 and 1980 with emphasis on the increasing role of government, particularly local government which became a key agent of change. The book describes the steps taken in public sector regulation of the urban environment from by-laws to town planning and sets them in the context of societal change. It also seeks to link 19th and 20th century public sector regulation instead of concentrating exclusively on the 20th century. It deals synoptically with urban history, planning and societal change and sets urban planning in the context of changes in politics, economy, demography and technology. It is aimed at undergraduates of urban planning, urban geography and urban history.