Karuppannan, S.Chileshe, N.2025-12-172025-12-172012Proceedings of the 6th International Conference and Workshop on the Built Environment in Developing Countries, 2012 / Chileshe, N. (ed./s), pp.686-6959780646588148https://hdl.handle.net/1959.8/124358Planning strategies have been the centrepiece of urban planning for a long time. Though they are called by different names such as master plan, structure plan, and strategy plan the theoretical underpinnings of long-term plans for cities and towns have a common origin in scientific approaches to urban planning. The main motive of urban planning can be said to achieve desired shape and structure of cities accommodating the present and future needs of community. Over the last twenty years or so urban planning has embraced the notion of sustainability to varying degree. There are enormous differences between developed and developing countries in the perception of sustainability and the ways in which planning has dealt with the abstract notion of sustainability in long-term plans for cities and towns. This paper reflects on contemporary approaches to urban planning in developed and developing countries and present how sustainability is embedded in planning.enCopyright 2012 Sadasivam Karuppannan ; proceedings copyright ICBEDCurban planningdeveloping countriessustainabilitylong-term plansConference paper