🌿Citizens and Stakeholders Participation for the Strategic Planning of the Pedieos River: Collaborative Steps Towards Sustainable Development
Are you interested in how stakeholder participation can lead to more effective and equitable outcomes in sustainable urban development by incorporating diverse perspectives and expertise into decision-making processes? Recognizing the importance of citizen participation in urban planning, an innovative focus group discussion was held on July 3, 2024, as part of the Twinning towards Research Excellence in Evidence-Based Planning and Urban Design (TWIN2EXPAND) initiative by the Society and Urban Form lab (Society and Urban Form (SURF) Research Lab) at the University of Cyprus. Utilizing a participatory approach, the focus group brought together key stakeholders on a specific case study, promoting democratic dialogue and consensus-building, employing the Structured Democratic Dialogue Process (SDDP) to develop and record ideas on complex issues, leading to participatory decision-making.
👥 Key Collaborations:
The focus group on the new Strategic Plan of the PedieosRiver brought together all relevant stakeholders to discuss priorities for enhancing accessibility, environmental protection, and creating active public spaces along the river. Participants included residents, architects, and representatives from organizations such as the Cyprus Confederation Organisation of the Disabled (CCOD), Nicosia Inter-municipal Development Company (DAEL), the Thiasos (Θίασος) architecture studio, the café Amber and Joe, the Agioi Omologites Elementary School, the non-profit OPU – Organisation for Positive Urbanism, The Cyprus Institute, and Strovolos Municipality – Δήμος Στροβόλου .
Representatives worked together to discuss and prioritise ways to enhance accessibility, protect the environment, and create vibrantpublicspaces.
🌟 Key Outcomes:
Key outcomes regarding accessibility, connectivity, inclusivedesign, greeninfrastructure, activities and services, safety and cleanliness can be found in the focus group report [https://bit.ly/3AdLlMw].
🔍 Next Steps:
The next stage involves exploring and evaluating the main issues highlighted by stakeholders concerning the proposed Strategic Planning of the PedieosRiver using spatial analysis methods. These will be discussed in a subsequent participatory workshop, ultimately aiming to inform the preparation of related Policy Briefs to inform decision-makers.
For more information, https://lnkd.in/dKMtrqMs, https://bit.ly/3WRGDgl.
EvidenceBasedDesign UrbanPlanning SustainableDevelopment CommunityEngagement PedieosRiver TWIN2EXPAND SURF UniversityOfCyprus
