Spatial planning is the management of space and resources through the creation and implementation of a plan restricting how space can be used and developed. Spatial planning is normally undertaken by state actors—at either the national, regional or local levels—but is sometimes undertaken by private sector actors as well. In achieving set policy aims, it usually tries to balance the competing demands upon land as a resource, mediating between the demands of the state, market, and local community.

In so doing, three different mechanisms—of involving stakeholders, integrating sectoral policies and promoting development projects—mark the three schools of transformative strategy formulation, innovation action and performance in spatial planning.

Discrete professional disciplines which involve spatial planning include land use, urban, regional, transport and environmental planning. Other related areas are also important, including economic and community planning, as well as maritime spatial planning.

Numerous planning systems exist around the world. The form of planning largely diverges and co-evolves with societies and their governance systems. Every country, and states within those countries, have a unique planning systems that is made up by different actors, different planning perspectives and a particular institutional framework. Perspectives, actors and institutions change over time, influencing both the form and the impact of spatial planning. Especially in Northwestern Europe, spatial planning has evolved greatly since the late 1950s. Until the 1990s, the term ‘spatial’ was used primarily to refer to the way that planning should deal with more than simply zoning, land use planning, or the design of the physical form of cities or regions, but also should address the more complex issues of the spatial relationship of activities such as employment, homes and leisure uses.

An early definition of spatial planning comes from the European Regional/Spatial Planning Charter (often called the 'Torremolinos Charter'), adopted in 1983 by the European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning (CEMAT): "Regional/spatial planning gives geographical expression to the economic, social, cultural and ecological policies of society. It is at the same time a scientific discipline, an administrative technique and a policy developed as an interdisciplinary and comprehensive approach directed towards a balanced regional development and the physical organization of space according to an overall strategy."

Spatial planning is necessary due to the competing demands on space—from the economy, social needs (e.g. housing), and environmental protection.

Spatial planning is especially important in developing countries which often face rapid urbanisation and industralisation, which places pressure on existing urban infrastructure.

Spatial planning in mainland China is known as territorial spatial planning.