The following principles apply to the Council and all registered persons and must guide the interpretation, administration and implementation of this Act:
| (a) | Planning and the planning profession are areas of expertise which involve the initiation and management of change in the built and natural environment across a spectrum of areas, ranging from urban to rural and delineated at different geographic scales (region, subregion, city, town, village, neighbourhood), in order to further human development and environmental sustainability, specifically in the fields of— |
| (i) | the delimitation, regulation and management of land uses; |
| (ii) | the organisation of service infrastructure, utilities, facilities and housing for human settlements; and |
| (iii) | the co-ordination and integration of social, economic and physical sectors which comprise human settlements, |
through the synthesis and integration of information for the preparation of strategic, policy, statutory and other development plans within the South African development context.
| (b) | Planning must pursue and serve the interests of the public to benefit the present and future generations. |
| (c) | The Council and the planning profession must— |
| (i) | strive to achieve the transformation of the profession to ensure its legitimacy and effectiveness; |
| (ii) | strive to achieve high standards of quality and integrity in the profession; |
| (iii) | promote the profession and pursue improvements in the competence of planners through the development of skills, knowledge and standards within the 'profession; and |
