Spatial Challenges of the Twenty-first Century

We saw in Chapter 1 how the planning system lurched from one set of political objectives to another all the way through the twentieth century in response to changing socio-economic and environmental conditions, and as a political tool of governments. Some of those conditions remain issues of concern today, even if there have been subtle variations in their form and governments and ideology have changed significantly over that time. We remain concerned about the provision of new housing, there are consequences of possible increases in population numbers for the provision of essential services such as health and education, but also of water and fuel provision, and there is growing anxiety at the impact of extreme weather conditions on both the land and the activities that occur on it. And of course there are geographical or spatial differences in these activities across the UK. Later in the book we will look at the different political and governmental ways that have been used to deal with these changing conditions and drivers of change, and who has taken responsibility for reacting to the change. But before doing so, it is necessary to consider in detail how the UK is expected to change in the twenty-first century. Only in this way can we then recognize a role for planning in analysing and addressing spatial change.