First published in 1979. Concern about the processes at work in Britain’s urban areas, coupled with steep declines in the population projections, led to a review of urban and regional policies in the mid-1970s, with major implications for the new towns as an element of national policy. The various stages and the conclusions of this re-appraisal are discussed, and the new towns’ role in the supposed ‘urban crisis’ is analysed. This title will be of interest to students of urban studies and development.