The difficulties involved in formulating national policy over large geographical areas have led to the widespread adoption of more localized planning methods, covering regions of a large country. This comprehensive collection includes classic papers which highlight the ways in which regional planning has evolved, as well as offering case studies of state-of-the-art planning practices. The first part of the volume provides a background to the subject's nature and evolution. It includes key pieces looking at the current state and evolution of the epistemology and practice of regional planning.

The next section examines advances in the theory of regional development processes. The coverage is inevitably selective in subject matter and embraces the topical themes of economic convergence, amenities and quality of life, and regional systems of cities.

The penultimate section concerns itself with major contributions on the neo-modern perspectives of regional policy and policy evaluation. Finally, there are case studies of regional planning practices.