SUMMARY
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have progressed rapidly during the last twenty years and the spatial effects of these technologies have been debated since 1980’s. Although there is no absolute consensus of opinion what the spatial impact will be on, all authorities and academics have agreed in respect of ICTs have important role on spatial structure. These improvements will impact both spatial development and spatial planning. In this context, in order to debate about the spatial effects of ICTs, basic factors this behind spatial change should be defined. The studies done upon the meaning of space, distance and time have showed that these factors are no longer a negative component by means of information networks and communication. In the literature there are a number of studies which deal with the development of the information society and the important role of ICTs in this process. On the other hand, the urban and spatial effects of these developments has been dealt with mostly only by researchers and this discussion has been highly modest among urban planners. This article explicates the need and possibilities to develop urban and regional planning discipline due to the impact of ICTs on urban and spatial change. The findings are based on the views represented in literature and on the opinions of Turkish urban planners. The objective of the field survey is to search for opinions of Turkish urban planners about the effects of the ICTs and its implications on the spatial developments of urban and rural areas and also urban planning. In the fieldwork, the opinions of Turkish planners were surveyed in a questionnaire for this article. The questionnaire contained different statements about the effects of ICTs on spatial development and the development of planning practices. Surveys were conducted to urban planners working in public and private institutions in Turkey. The likert scale was used to measure respondents’ attitudes by asking to which they agree or disagree with statements.The findings of this article have illustrated that ICTs have effects on urban and spatial structure. Starting from this point, ICTs should be argued out as an important input into the urban and regional planning discipline. However, the urban and spatial effects of ICTs are not handled in current planning system sufficiently. Information and well-qualified people have become the most important factor at production and determined the location decisions of activities. Expected spatial changes are diversified. Generally, more extensive studies need to be done upon the spatial effects of information and communication technologies. In this context, planning theories, methods and models should be improved and ICTs are considered as a new component in planning. These new developments should be integrated into the current planning system.