As practised by local or national government, the direction of development. See S. Ward (2004) for a well-presented and easily read history of planning in the United Kingdom. S. Campbell and S. Fainstein, eds (2003) provide a valuable stimulant for constructive debate and reflection.

Planning blight is the adverse effect of a proposed development, such as a motorway, which could cause a drop in house prices. If the landowner cannot dispose of the property, or cannot make as much use of it as was previously possible, he or she may serve a purchasing notice on the planning department of the local authority. See R. Eddington (2006).