ABSTRACT
Physical Planning is relatively a young profession in Nigeria. Its acceptability and practice is beginning to gather momentum in the three tiers of government which should however be vertically related and co-ordinated with the state and federal roles, responsibilities and practices. This hierarchical function in physical planning will no doubt enhance the National Physical Planning goal and objectives. The need to appraise physical planning at the lower level is inevitable as it is believed that physical planning is widely accepted and it is at this level that its impacts are most felt. The thesis highlights the physical planning roles in other countries. In most advanced countries of the world physical planning responsibilities are not only hierachicalised across the levels of government but adequate provisions (legal, research, man power, priority physical administrative etc) are made to enhance effectiveness and administrative convenience. The Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law promulgated in 1992 devolved functions to all the three tiers of government. Of concern here are the functions ascribed to the local vi governments such as the preparation and implementation of town rural, local and subject plans, in conjunction with the control of development of their areas of jurisdiction. The techniques used include the use of graphs for comparative analysis, tables, percentages inferences, performance score, matrices with reference to the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law. Prospects and limitations of implementation of the law is examined and policy recommendations towards affective physical planning in the local government levels.