The way our cities look and operate, their cultural and community life are all considered by town planners. The course deals with the fundamentals of urban planning, its language. its rules and regulations; its controversial nature and the way it operates in practice. It looks at how and why urban planning came into being; how the legal and administrative system works; how the political system operates; and how planners deal with issues - from designing the city to balancing the many conflicts which arise over development projects. Lectures are given by staff of the Faculty of the Built Environment as well as planning practitioners. This course will give you the skills, the understanding and the enthusiasm to play an active role in shaping your city.