Habilitation thesis is devoted to the topic of use of the strategic planning at the local level, which is critical due to the volume of planning activities and it is bound to the municipal units with wide-ranging authorities. The thesis clarifies the principles of strategic planning and their potential benefits for municipalities. It also includes the methodological description of the strategic planning process, of its phases and used approaches. It particularly highlights the need of establishing strategic partnerships and public participation, along with experts, in the planning process. The thesis also analyses the current situation of the implementation of strategic planning in the form of the so-called programmes of economic and social development of municipalities in Slovakia, existing methodologies, as well as the problems related to this process. In addition to the methodological issues of strategic planning, the thesis addresses the still neglected question of its relation to the land-use planning. Both planning systems represent complementary principles which create potential for mutual coordination. The thesis presents specific recommendations concerning the connection of strategic plan and land-use plan at the level of strategy and concept, as well as at the implementation level.