Achieving sustainable spatial development in the Alps through participatory planning

Abstract

This article analyzes the legal frameworks of participatory planning in Alpine countries and assesses its role in achieving more sustainable spatial development in the Alps. Our research analyzed twenty-seven legal acts from seven Alpine countries and shows that the role of stakeholder participation in spatial planning has gradually increased. However, participation still remains at a rather unsatisfactory level, mainly because of its pro-forma character and practitioners’ insufficient knowledge on how to implement it. To increase the use of participatory processes, it is important 1) to convince planning stakeholders that participation is a key instrument in ensuring sustainable spatial development and 2) to inform practitioners about participatory methods and techniques.