COPING WITH MEGA-MALL DEVELOPMENT: AN URBAN PLANNING PERSPECTIVE ON WEST EDMONTON MALL

The development of West Edmonton Mall is presented as a case study in the problem of coping with unexpected, large-scale departures from authorized plans - in this instance, the plan for the new suburban community of West Jasper Place. The main features of the plan are described and the practical consequences of permitting the mall to be built are assessed. It is concluded that Edmonton's conventional planning instruments were unable to respond effectively to the challenge posed by West Edmonton Mall, because the local planning system did not make adequate provision for the politics of plan implementation.