Regional and town planning assists communities, companies and governments to integrate the environmental, economic and social aspects of development from site, up to regional scales. It covers land-use planning, urban design, transport and infrastructure planning, use and extension of information technology, heritage and conservation, resource management, environmental monitoring, planning law and practice, commercial and industrial development, and policy making and implementation. Planning deals with strategic work (long-range planning) as well as structural and statutory components. The latter include the current development of the built and natural environments and the legislative framework controlling land use. Accordingly, planning is closely allied with commerce, economics, government, sociology and the ecology disciplines. The program emphasises the application of planning theory and the development of design skills through project work. This project work varies in complexity from simple, small-scale projects to comprehensive development schemes, often in "real-life" situations in conjunction with local authorities and community organisations.