This paper offers an introduction to this Special Issue of International Development Planning Review. It uses the concepts of translocal development, development corridors and development chains to secure a better grasp of what development means in the context of globalisation and how 'local development' needs to be refined. Rather than producing transnational communities and spaces, globalisation is resulting in translocal patterns of development. Such new types of translocality will create new development opportunities, but will also restrict people's manoeuvring space to escape from poverty. The six case study empirical papers are set in this overall context and the collection is reviewed both conceptually and in the context of its implications for development planning.