In the nineteenth century, urban planning became influenced by the newly formalised disciplines of architecture and civil engineering, which began to codify both rational and stylistic approaches to solving city problems through physical design. However since the 1960's the domain of urban planning has expanded to include economic development planning, community social planning and environmental planning.

In the 20th century, part of the task of urban planning became urban renewal, and re-invigorating inner cities by adapting urban planning methods to existing cities, some with much long-term infrastructural decay.