Introduction to Town Planning

This section provides a simple introduction to Town Planning, what it is, and how to get involved. It has been produced by Planning Aid for London for the UrbanBuzz 'Community Maps' website. It has been produced to complement mapping on the website of:

Major urban projects in your area

Local / regional planning policies affecting your area

Sometimes technical terms have had to be used. Click here if you are unsure about any term.

Audio Advice on Planning for those of you who are blind, partially sighted or have any difficulty reading can be found here.

We hope you will find this information helpful enough to get your views heard in the right places by the right people. Feedback to PAL is very welcome.

How to & why get Involved in Planning

You, or the group you belong to, may wish to put in a planning application. Similarly, you or the group you belong to, may wish to object to, support, or even become involved in the planning of new development on land next to you or affecting the area you live in. For example, housing estate improvements; town centre development, traffic management plans (such as a proposed Home Zone).

Your concerns are far more likely to be taken into account by Planners and Planning Committees if you actively participate in the planning process. The more inclusive the vision contained in a Master Plan or the Local Development Framework , the more sustainable it is likely to be. In helping yourselves you will likewise be joining with and helping many others.

Please click the red links on the right to find out more about town planning and how to get involved using Community Maps.