From the editors

Abstract

In recent years, urban areas have been experiencing a plethora of challenges that range from socio-economic, environmental and governance issues that are increasingly complicating urban and regional professional planning. Rapid urbanisation in many countries, especially in the Global South, has been attributed to the increasing demand for urban services. In most instances, however, these urban areas fail to cater for the needs of the burgeoning populations, resulting in endemic urban dilemmas. Similarly, the available urban opportunities and services fail to cater for the needs of the urbanites. The demand for many services and opportunities, such as housing, healthcare, employment and water and sanitation, seems to be compromised, with low-income households bearing much of the brunt of these challenges through limited access to opportunities. Inequalities are magnified in these instances as the distribution and allocation of urban services and opportunities tend to be along income lines. Increasing informality and urban decay are signs of the failure of urban systems that fail to provide adequate opportunities and create habitable spaces for urbanites. In this issue, planning is a central theme that authors engage with, illustrating the central role planning plays in placemaking.