It substantially reforms the town planning and compulsory purchase framework in the United Kingdom.

The act took over 18 months to negotiate its passage through Parliament and required special dispensation both to be carried over from one parliamentary session to another and to prevent it being lost on one occasion due to an error in the wording of a Commons motion.

It was re-committed to Commons committee to allow the inclusion of significant new material relating to the removal of Crown immunity and compulsory purchase and carried over to the following session.

The act received royal assent on 13 May 2004 and came into force in mid July 2004; regulations implementing the parts of the act reforming development plans came into force shortly afterwards.

The remaining sections of the act are being implemented by further regulations and development orders.