Series of articles addressing different aspects of the planning green paper. "Participation: delivering a fundamental change" considers the prospects for a democratic participatory planning system and suggests a new approach to make the planning process interactive. "Continuing role for the counties?" examines the planning green paper's proposals at the national, regional and strategic levels, questioning whether some of the solutions are viable. "Sub-regional planning case remains overwhelming" argues that improved speed and efficiency will not be met by removing all the strategic content of planning to a regional tier and relying on a new system of district-wide plans. "Picturing perfect blue skies" emphasises government's role in tackling policies outside planning to ensure the planning green paper's potential is fulfilled. "Planning obligations and delivering sustainable development" investigates the proposed reform of planning obligations. "Green light" argues that the planning green paper's objectives may fail because there are no mechanisms to back them up. "As essential as compulsory education" welcomes the thrust of the planning green paper and suggests that the legal/bureaucratic framework for implementing reform needs to be revised to remove the last obstacle.