Citizens as (in)visible actors in the spatial planning system: A case study of the city of Valjevo

Abstract

Contemporary approaches to spatial planning highlight citizens participation as one of the key prerequisites for making high-quality, sustainable, and socially acceptable decisions. The normative framework in the Republic of Serbia recognizes citizens as important actors within the system of spatial planning and decision-making. However, practice indicates a significant limitation and formalization of the role of citizens in this context. The aim of this paper is to examine the attitudes of the citizens of the City of Valjevo regarding their own position in planning processes, the level of their awareness of the opportunities for participation in spatial planning, and the extent to which they believe they can actually influence decisions regulating the urban space in which they live. For this purpose, a study based on a survey of residents of the City of Valjevo was conducted. The survey is anonymous and integrates four questions related to the general characteristics of the respondents and eleven questions organized into four thematic blocks examining: 1) the level of citizens' awareness of the spatial planning system, 2) citizens' previous experiences with participation in spatial planning at the local level, 3) citizens' perceptions of the significance of their own influence, and 4) citizens' attitudes regarding the importance of education for improving their participation in spatial planning. The results of the research indicate: 1) the need for systematic improvement of citizens' information and education in the context of spatial planning, and 2) a pronounced gap between the formally defined role of citizens and the actual level of their involvement in planning processes. The conclusion of the paper focuses on examining the potential of education as an instrument for strengthening citizens' participatory practices in local planning.