**4. A brief history of Turkish spatial planning system**

In this part, the focus is on the basic characteristics and application of a rational comprehen‐ sive planning method instead of a detailed history of urban planning and legal aspects of spatial planning in Turkey as it has a very changing structure.

History of the Turkish spatial planning system dates back to the second half of the nine‐ teenth century of the Ottoman period. These efforts are known as spatial arrangements rather than an official urban planning. This situation is also true for the 1920s and 1930s; the first years of the new Turkish Republic. Urban spatial planning was first institutionalized after the acceptance of the first Development and Zoning Law in 1956 numbered as 6785. This date was important as urbanization in Turkey was really accelerated after 1950 hand in hand with industrialization efforts.

As masses of people from rural areas started to migrate to big cities, such as Ankara and İstanbul, new urban planning arrangements and efforts on spatial planning were started with the first Development and Zoning Law accepted in 1956. This law gave way to a rational comprehensive planning approach for the Turkish spatial planning system. Also regarding the whole planning concept; "planned era" was started in 1960 at the country level with the establishment of State Planning Organization. (Note: It was transformed into Ministry of

Development in 2012.) The starting point of the planned development is the Main Law accepted in 1961. After this period, the Five Year Development Plans were started to be prepared for national and regional progress. First plan was accepted in 1962. It was a devel‐ opment plan for the period of 1963–1967. These Five Year Development Plans were organ‐ ized to be implemented by yearly programs. Though there were no strict decisions on urbanization in successive Five Year Development Plans, there were decisions about urbani‐ zation issues and urban planning related to the conjuncture of the period they were applied.

Return to the first Development and Zoning Law accepted in 1956, the planning authority was chosen as municipalities. The law numbered 6785 was not able to prevent pseudourbaniza‐ tion as it was only about the physical planning dimension [9]. This law was replaced by the law numbered 1605 in 1972. The main difference was the fact that authority was given to central authority instead of municipalities. With rapid urbanization, this law and planning efforts became insufficient and the law numbered 3194 was accepted in 1985 instead of the existing one. This law is the current operative law with some changes until it has been accepted.

This law clearly defines and suggests a rational comprehensive urban planning aspect. After accepted, it was criticized as how to engage participation and how macrodecisions are taken, and how policies will be defined and applied to urban areas and urban space [9].

Several directives and bylaws were accepted until 1990s in order to organize and adapt spatial planning to the conjuncture changes and fast-changing characteristics of the society and cities. A new paradigm shift for whole social and economic issues becomes the focal point of academic and political debates. Globalization and effects of information technologies are the main determinants of the new paradigm shift. In addition, the deterioration of the environ‐ ment and steadily decreasing natural resources are the other important milestones in this paradigm shift. Regarding this part, the last regulation about making spatial plans that was accepted in June 2014 called "Regulation on Making Spatial Plans" is insisted on. The coming part is largely based on the main principles and processes of the Turkish spatial planning system depending on the related ``Regulation on Making Spatial Plans."
