CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE PLANNING PROCESS - A CASE STUDY OF THE CIVIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT MASTER PLAN

Abstract

Citizen participation in the planning process forms a crucial part of urban planning strategies that could assist in ensuring planning authorities' responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of the community. This has been increasingly acknowledged by the planning agencies in Singapore in the last few years. One major area which provides immense potential for citizen participation is conservation. The Civic and Cultural District Project represents the first move to include public involvement in the formulation and implementation of planning schemes. The existing planning framework set within the Urban Redevelopment Authority is however incompatible with the ideals of citizen participation. Many of the techniques employed by the Authority only measured up to the level of tokenism. A disturbing revelation is the glaring absence of participation by the community directly affected by the project partly because no specific measure was undertaken to reach out to them. Hence, it is paramount that some existing philosophy, administrative framework and participation techniques are reviewed and reformulated. It is suggested that autonomous citizen advisory committees, planning teams within the planning agencies and task forces are set up to improve the citizen participation. As a long-term measure, public education of the importance of conservation issues should also be embarked upon with the media playing a key role.