ABSTRACT
Habiforum is the name of a project initiated by the Dutch government to facilitate the transition from traditional top-down spatial planning, or development of plans for land-use, to a new inclusive paradigm involving all stakeholders in a broader process of area development. This chapter focuses on the challenge of traditional approaches to spatial planning and then describes how Habiforum has convened stakeholders from different fields in ways that engage them in a broader and more involved process of area development. Traditional spatial planning has too often led to the alienation of communities and other stakeholders affected by the planning process. The expectations of all involved are diverse and, at first glance, irreconcilable. The highest government level involved, often a federal or regional agency, by and large dominates the process. The master plans and generic directives prescribed by federal or regional governments often fall short of meeting the requirements of specific situations and local contexts.
