Land use refers to the use of the land in urban areas, i.e., cities and towns. In case of areas beyond the city limits into the hinterland of the city, the uses the land is put to, is referred to as Land utilization. The categories of land utilization are agricultural land, fallow land, forest areas, areas under settlements including urban and rural settlements, etc.
A land use plan is a guide for the location and intensity of future development in a community. It is a part of a comprehensive plan which deals with the interrelationship between the different land uses. It designates the present and future location, form, class and extent (size) within a planning jurisdiction for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional (public areas and buildings) use or reuse. The land use plan includes a map and a written description of the different land use areas or districts. A land use map geographically and specifically locates existing and future land uses such as residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional (public areas and buildings) that has been established in the land use plan. The land use plan serves as the guide for official land use decisions. Zoning is one means of implementing a land use plan. A land use plan is part of a Master Plan that is formulated for the city for its planned development and to guide the development of the city in the future.
Land use planning provides the prerequisites for achieving a sustainable form of land use that is acceptable as far as the social and environmental contexts are concerned and is desired by society, while making sound economic sense. Land use planning in the context of technical co-operation is an iterative process based on dialogue amongst all participants.
The Land Use Planning process covers all steps extending from setting up of vision, formulating objectives, generating information base, processing, analysis, discussion and evaluation, right up to the negotiation for a consensus concerning the form of land use to be practiced. This includes the prerequisites for preparing, initiating and implementing the plan. New developments and knowledge gained during the planning process should be incorporated and may require revision and updating.