Decentralisation and Land-Use Planning in France: a 15 year review

English In France, decentralisation of powers from central to local government has been one of the major reforms of the past 15 years. This article examines the way decentralisation has enabled French local authorities to define and implement policy and how far actors within the system have modified their behaviour as a result of the changes. It explores the commentaries on decentralisation in France, and looks at land-use planning, which was one of the major powers to be transferred to the communes, examining how communes have used the powers and how central government has responded. The article concludes that there have been significant gains in local autonomy but that central government has struggled to redefine its own role. It also identifies a series of problems that have yet to be resolved for decentralisation to be fully effective.