PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE PUNGGOL 21 PLANNING PROCESS

Abstract

Public participation forms a crucial aspect in physical planning strategies. It addresses the aspirations and needs of the citizens. Over the years, there has been increasing acknowledgement of the importance of it in the physical planning of Singapore. This can be seen by the joint preparation of Development Guide Plans (DGPs) between the private sectors and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), and selected DGPs being publicly exhibited to allow for public viewing and comments. All these seemed to push public participation to greater heights. However, the crucial question is whether and how the existing planning framework set within the URA has allowed for effective participation in its planning process. It is in this context that the study is undertaken. A case study on Punggol Planning Area is used to examine the extent of public participation and the degree of it being able to affect the plan. The attitude of citizens towards participation for Punggol planning process is also examined. It is paramount to understand how the citizens and the professionals feel about participating in the planning process. This would enable the authority to better understand the needs of the people and provide for a planning framework that truly incorporates effective participation.