During the late 1990's and 2000's, debates over urban and regional planning in the UK have become dominated by the twin themes of sustainability and economic competitiveness. In the hotspots of growth, such as London and the South East, the costs of living have risen to such an extent that many skilled workers on moderate incomes are increasingly unable to access housing and other consumption goods. The New Labour government has become concerned that regional labor markets may consequently become unbalanced and this will impact on the states ability to sustain public services in the short term and regional economic competitiveness in the longer term. This book provides the first systematic description and analysis of the relationships between conceptions of regional labor markets and spatial development policies since the Second World War. It examines the emergence and practices of contemporary discourses of sustainable communities and evaluates the possibilities, problems, and parad

Mike Raco is Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at King's College London.