This book traces the history of the development control system in Britain from early modern times to the present day.

**Please note this is an unedited paperback reprint of the hardback, originally published in 2003** The British system of universal development control celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1997. Remarkably, the system has survived more or less intact but the experience of the 1980s has left large questions unanswered about the relevance and effectiveness of the system. This book traces the history of the development control system in Britain from early modern times to the present day.

'Booth brings to the study a particularly fresh and clear perspective born of a deep familiarity with the inner workings of development control, an historian's eye for the significant event, and a sound understanding of planning law...It will rapidly find its place as required reading in graduate courses on spatial planning, development control and comparative planning across the country.' - Built Environment'The strength and originality of this book lie in its portrayal of development control as the modern application of a long-term process of restricting landowners' powers over land development, in the interests both of neighbouring landowners and of a more general 'public'.' - Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 2004, issue 31/3