Urban Planning:

History, Theory and

Systems
PL6101
Master of Planning
School of Architecture and Planning
Government Engineering College, Thrissur
DEFINING ‘PLAN’

Plan(n)

a. A physical representation of something

b. A method of doing something

c. An orderly arrangement of parts of an object

To Plan(v)

d. To arrange the parts of

e. To realize the achievement of

f. To intend

In general, to assemble actions into an orderly

sequence

Prof. Ambily P (Architect, Environmental Planner)

Does Planning always include physical representation
or design?
Some types of planning might require a physical design/representation

Planning for production of automobiles, city planning

Planning need not always include physical representation

Planning for war, planning for peace

Take the case of educational planning.

Step 1: Setting the goal (For example, double the number of graduates in 10

years)

Step 2: Current Status and Future Projections

Step 3: Implementation of the plan through programs/projects

Step 4: Alternatives
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Planning as a physical representation

In the pre and post war periods, planning was always associated with physical

representation
Three components of post war planning in Britain are:

1. Town planning as a physical planning

2. Design as central to town planning

3. The assumptions that town planning necessarily involves production of

‘master plans’ or ‘blue-prints’ showing same degree of precision in

spatial configuration of land-uses and urban form as the plans produced

by architects or engineers

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Post-war attempts of physical planning

Four broad principles of post-war planning in Britain (Europe)

1. Utopian Comprehensiveness

2. Anti-urban aestheticism

3. Highly ordered view of urban structure

4. Assumed consensus over the aims of planning (as all the above three

principles were self-evident and common-sense planning)

A detailed design for

Detailed design of
the centre of a
Theoretical New Town, Keeble theoretical new town by
theoretical new town,
(1952) Keeble(1952)
Keeble(1952)

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Defining Planning

“Planning as a general activity is the making of an orderly sequence

of action that will lead to the achievement of a stated goal or goals”.

Its main techniques will be written statements, supplemented as

appropriate by statistical projections, mathematical representations,

quantified evaluations and diagrams illustrating relationships

between different parts of the plan. It may or may not include

Urban and Regional Planning, Peter
physical blueprint of objects Hall

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Application of the definitions to Urban and regional
planning

“Planning with a spatial, or geographical component, in which

the general objective is to provide for spatial structure of

activities (or of land uses) which in some way is better than the

pattern that would exist without planning”. Thus, centered on a

spatial concept, urban planning is a special case of general

planning, which does include the preparation of plans(physical

Urban and Regional Planning, Peter
plans) or representational component Hall

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Human Settlement Planning

A Human settlement means ‘ a place of dwelling or place of permanent residence’, ranging

from a single house to megalopolis

“an assemblage of persons settled in a locality”

A settlement is a spatial unit characterized by it degree of permanence, habitat and

interaction

“Human settlements means the totality of the human community- whether the city,
town or village- with all the social, material, organizational, spiritual and cultural
elements that sustain it”

United Nations Declaration on Human Settlements(1976)

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Planning Process

Evolution of Planning Process

• The earlier planners saw planning as concerned with production of plans, which give a detailed

picture of projected future

• A simple sequence of planning was introduced by Patrick Geddes, ‘Survey-Analysis-Plan’. The

existing situation to be surveyed, analysis of the survey to show remedial actions, fixed plan to

embody these actions

• Later stage of planning emphasized on objectives of planning, and alternative ways of reaching it

through the introduction of structure plans

• Current concept in planning process derived from cybernetics, organizing the existing knowledge

about a wide range of phenomena- systems thinking. The concept of systems thinking is that

operation of the systems as a whole need to be understood instead of dealing in parts

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Planning Process

Three distinctive stages of planning,

1. Mid 1800’s – mid 1960’s (Master Planning)

2. Mid 1960’s- Early 1970’s (System’s Planning)

3. 1970’s onwards (Participatory Planning)

Three leading British exponents setout schematic summaries of the planning

process,

1. Brian Mc Loughlin,

2. George Chadwick, and

3. Alan Wilson

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Planning Process by Brian Mc Loughlin

STEP 1:- Take a decision to adopt planning and to set up a particular system

STEP 2:- Formulation of broad goals, identify more detailed objectives which logically follow from then
formulated goals

STEP 3:- Follow the possible consequences of possible courses of action which they might take, with the aid of
models which simplify the operation of the system

STEP 4:- Evaluate the alternatives in relation to their objectives and the resources available

STEP 5:- Take action (through public investments/or controls on public investment) to implement the preferred
alternative

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Review the state of the system to see how far it is departing from the assumed course, repetition of the process
Planning Process by George Chadwick

• A clear distinction is made between the observation of

the systems under control (right of diagram) and the
planners’ actions in devising and testing these control
mechanisms (left side of diagram)

• There are return loops on both sides of the diagram,

indicating that the whole process is cyclical

• At each stage of the process, in addition, the

planners have to interrelate their observations of
the system with the development of the control
mechanisms

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Planning Process by Alan Wilson
• Three levels presented vertically.

• The most basic level, corresponding to part of

chadwick’s right hand sequences, is simply called
understanding (or prediction).

• Understanding level is concerned wholly with devising

the working tools, in the form of techniques and
models, which are needed for the analysis of the
system under control.

• The intermediate level, corresponding to another part of

Chadwick’s right hand side, is concerned with the
further use of these techniques in analyzing problems,
and synthesizing alternatives which will be internally
consistent.

• The upper level, corresponding to roughly to the left

had side of Chadwick’s diagram is concerned with the
positive actions which the planner takes to regulate or
control the system, the goal formulation, evaluation of
Prof. Ambily P (Architect, Environmental Planner) alternatives, and actual implementation of the preferred
Planning Process- URDPFI Guidelines
Stages of Planning Process are:

1. Development of Aims and

Objectives
2. Identification of Site Needs
3. Identification of Projected
Needs
4. Plan Formulation
5. Inclusive Planning
6. Statutory Obligations
7. Decentralisation of Plan
Approval Process
8. People’s Participation
9. Plan Modification
[Link] and revision of plans
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Step 1: Aims and Objectives
The aim of planning is a general statement indicating the decisions of policy makers, aspirations of
the people and needs of the community

Eg: “To provide job opportunities for all”

Objectives are specific statements indicating the ways and means of achieving the set aims taking
into account of the potentials.

Eg:
1. Provision of jobs through development of industries
2. Provision of incentives to industries
3. Provision of informal sector economic activity as part of commercial areas, etc

Steps in Aim and Objective Formulation:-

1. Identification of the values cherished by and needs of various stakeholders including citizens,
administrators, professionals, politicians and other group of people
2. Identification of aims incorporating the values
3. Identification of criteria that further defines each aim to form basis for formulation of objectives
4. Formulation of objectives, which could further be defined as design objectives and
implementation objectives
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Step 2: Identification of site needs
At this stage, the site needs should be identified based on the typology of urban
development‐ such as port city, old city, industrial townships, peri-urban areas, corridor
development, regional development and accordingly the vision needs to be prepared

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Step 3: Identification of project requirements

A. Gaps and Projections

• Infrastructure Gap Analysis(remaining life of existing infrastructure and coverage)
• Disaster Mitigation
• Environmental
• Administration/Governance

Projections
• Population projections
• Need for settlements and infrastructure

B. Consultation

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Step 4: Plan Formulation
1. Vision Development
• Economic Development
Objectives
• Transportation Objectives
• Utility Services (Level and
Coverages) Objectives
• Social Infrastructure Objectives
• Safety and Security of the
citizens
• Growth pattern/design
objectives
• Investment
2. Alternative Concept Plans,
Program/Sustainability
Objectives
considering
• • Estimation
Others, if any
of land requirement for
different uses
• Land suitability analysis
• Delineation of developable area based on
environmental land suitability and growth
trend
• Preparation of a general activity structure
• [Link]
Selectionofamong alternatives
a conceptual landuse plan

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Step 5: Plan Approval Process
Approval process is decentralised to follow the spirit of 74 th CAA, and reduce the delay in approval

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Step 6: People’s Participation
People can participate in the planning process in following realms,
1. Pre-Plan Participation in decision making in vision development, for identification of
development priorities
2. Post-plan participation before finalisation and implementation of development
programs and priorities
3. Participation during implementation and evaluation of development programs and
project
4. Participation and sharing the benefits of development, managing the assets etc

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Step 7: Plan Modification

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Key take-aways

1. What is plan/planning/urban planning?

2. Evolution of planning process?

3. Planning process as per URDPFI Guidelines

Prof. Ambily P (Architect, Environmental Planner)