Sustainable urban development in the UK: rhetoric or reality?

The concept of sustainable urban development represents a major challenge for governments throughout the contemporary world. Despite the rhetoric of sustainable development over the past two decades, the gap between public declarations of principle and implementation of concrete measures remains significant in most cities. This article first examines the complex concept of sustainable urban development then charts the emergence of a sustainable development philosophy within UK urban policy. The theoretical and structural level analysis is complemented by consideration of current strategies aimed at sustainable development in part of the Thames Gateway. Finally, a number of conclusions are presented on the prospects for sustainable urban development in the UK.