Town Planning

Many people have heard the term ‘town planning’ before but may not be exactly aware of its real meaning or connotations. Town planning is a science of organization which has been around for hundreds (and perhaps thousands) of years, ever since humans moved from being hunters and gatherers to settled farmers. With settlement comes the need of the population for pathways and roads, municipal buildings, water supplies, sewage and refuse removal plans, and in this day and age cabling for electricity and phone lines. This is where town planning comes in.

Town planning is not only a reactionary field (that is, one that fixes current problems) but also an area concerned with prediction. A big part of town planning is the forecasting of the future needs and requirements of a built up area so that the population will remain happy, healthy and safe. This means that a great deal of research needs to be done and maintained so that every aspect of each built up area is monitored. Water levels, traffic levels, road use, population levels, health and education requirements, police and fire coverage and new development areas all need to be closely watched.

It is often the case that new residential areas are planned years in advance by councils and are gone over with a fine-toothed comb by town planners. The increase in population also means that there is pressure placed on all of the surrounding facilities. If you have recently moved into a new area or residential division, chances are you have the town planners to thank!