Planning in a disunited kingdom

摘要

What happens to the planning system when a nation fractures? This question is highly pertinent in a UK context, but raises its head elsewhere in Europe. Since the 1970s Belgium has been transformed from one of the most centralised states in Europe into one of the most radically devolved, as political authority has been transferred to both language-based communities and territories. Such profound constitutional change has led to the transformation of the planning system, while planning issues are embedded in the most contentious political and language disputes.