From the archives: Two schools of thought on planning; 10 October, 1950
TWO schools of thought on planning were discussed by Mr DW Plumstead, town planning officer for Edinburgh.
He was delivering a lecture to European architects and town planners attending a course arranged by the British Council [and] the Department of Health for Scotland. Mr Plumstead, who was dealing with the Advisory Plan for Edinburgh, said one school of thought contended there should not be planning for more than 20 years ahead otherwise they were presuming to dictate a philosophy or ideal which might not suit future generations. The second held that no such dictation took place. All global or advisory plans did was provide insurance policies for future generations to carry out development schemes according to the ideals of their own times. The Edinburgh Advisory Plan followed the philosophy of the second school.