9 3 9 ▁and ▁was ▁initially ▁ex empt ed ▁from ▁war ▁service ; ▁his ▁duties ▁at ▁the ▁Ministry ▁related ▁to ▁organ ising ▁emer gency ▁hospital ▁planning . ▁He ▁then ▁served ▁with ▁the ▁Royal ▁Naval ▁Vol unte er ▁Reserve ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁dem obil ised ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Town ▁and ▁Country ▁Pl anning . ▁There , ▁he ▁was ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁architect s ▁of ▁the ▁Town ▁and ▁Country ▁Pl anning ▁Act ▁( 1 9 4 7 ) ▁... ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁chief ▁dra fter s ▁of ▁perhaps ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁piece ▁of ▁planning ▁legisl ation ▁in ▁ 2 0 th - century ▁Britain ". ▁In ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁this ▁work , ▁he ▁travel led ▁around ▁Britain ▁to ▁lecture ▁planning ▁officials ▁on ▁the ▁Act ; ▁he ▁wrote ▁Pl anning ▁and ▁the ▁Law ▁as ▁a ▁guide book . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁Wood ▁was ▁appointed ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Minister ▁and , ▁after ▁the ▁Ministry ▁was ▁merged ▁into ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁H ous ing ▁and ▁Local ▁Government , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Princi pal ▁Regional ▁Officer ▁for ▁the ▁West ▁Mid lands ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁grade ▁of ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁and ▁given ▁responsibility ▁for ▁the ▁Water ▁Division . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Under - Secret ary ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁Pl anning ▁Division , ▁serving ▁for ▁four