Reports on recent research carried out by Land Use Consultants on behalf of the Countryside Agency on how well its Market Towns Initiative (MTI) has worked together with the planning system to achieve common aims. The MTI focuses on the regeneration of market towns as hubs of rural life and the approach is based on the formation of a town partnership from a broad range of public service, business and community interests. The partnership produces a health check followed by an action plan. The research concludes that opportunities for market town partnerships and planning authorities have mostly been overlooked and there was little mutual understanding of each other's work and remit, whereas co-operation would improve the local planning and economic development process. Two guidance notes have been produced to assist better understanding between the partnerships and the planning authorities and further better working relationships. Notes.