Book excerpt: Written by a leading expert in the field, this is the first thorough critical review of retail planning policy in Britain (including Scotland and Wales). It covers recent changes in government policy and guidance, and examines retail policy within a broader economic and social context. Planning for Retail Development explains key events and debates in the evolution of retail planning policy, at central and local government levels, since the 1960s and draws contrasts between the 1980s, a period in which retail developers were encouraged by central government to expand away from town centres, and the more recent emphasis on protection and promotion of town centres as the most appropriate location for new development. The book develops a critical evaluation of past and present retail planning policies, based upon analyses of retailers’ objectives and of typical consumer shopping behaviour. Relationships between retail planning and wider societal concerns, including sustainable development, social inclusion and urban regeneration are also examined and analysed and guidelines for future policy objectives and content are drawn.