This paper assesses the Barker Review of Land Use Planning, exploring the role of planning in urban growth. It finds a case for managed reviews to green belts. But the jury is out on reforming the town centre first approach, and proposals for planning major infrastructure need further work.
The Barker Review of Land Use Planning has been widely attacked as bad for cities: loosening the green belt, damaging town centres and undermining local democracy. But others felt the Review should have gone a lot further. Who is right?