Regional planning deals with the efficient placement of land-use activities, infrastructure, and settlement growth across a larger area of land than an individual city or town.
[2] Regions require various land uses; protection of farmland, cities, industrial space, transportation hubs and infrastructure, military bases, and wilderness.
A 'region' in planning terms can be administrative or at least partially functional, and is likely to include a network of settlements and character areas.
In most European countries, regional and national plans are 'spatial' directing certain levels of development to specific cities and towns in order to support and manage the region depending on specific needs, for example supporting or resisting polycentrism.
Although the term "regional planning" is nearly universal in English-speaking countries the areas covered and specific administrative set ups vary widely.