This paper investigates the process of physical development planning in Trinidad and Tobago;
in particular, the current set up to facilitate plan formulation and the consequences of this institutionalised
framework. During the last decade, there has been a lot of upheaval within the planning system in Trinidad
and Tobago, and the relevant agencies are facing difficulties defining their roles within the process. This
paper focused on two of these agencies; The Town and Country Planning Division (T&CPD;) who has
traditionally been responsible for producing development plans and the Ministry of Local Government
(MLG) who were recently mandated to deliver regional Spatial Development Plans to all fourteen (14)
regional corporations under its purview. As a result, both agencies concurrently produced plans for the
Borough of Arima and these were subject to a case study. The research’s primary objective was to
determine whether duplication/overlap had in fact occurred and to investigate the reasons why. Interviews
were sought with relevant planning officials at both agencies as well as an independent planning consultant
to help fulfill this objective and also elaborate on some of the raw data found in the case study. A
secondary objective was to compare and analyse the two plans within the context of a plan formulation
framework. The results indicated that duplication had in fact occurred due to a lack of collaboration
between agencies. Also, the MLG Plan was judged to be the better plan overall, largely due to its holistic
approach and spatial underpinnings. Finally, a number of recommendations were outlined for the T&CPD;
in order for it to maintain its relevance, both in the short and long term.