We are delighted to provide you with the latest, updated edition of what has become the bible of British planning for both students and practising planners. The new edition has been completely revised and restructured to provide a current reference and guide to the British planning system, its history, its institutions and organisations, their functions and procedures, planning policy and planning law. In response to the changing needs of planners and planning students, edition eleven has been re-designed to ensure that the text is as user-friendly as possible and incorporates more discussion of the changing planning framework and policies which have recently emerged. These include the impact of the EC and the dramatic changes in rural policy and transport planning.