ABSTRACT
The urban planning system in Serbia currently lacks substantial public participation, resulting in cities shaped by private interests and exacerbating spatial conflicts and inequalities. This chapter investigates the potential of a collaborative approach to urban planning, based on deliberative democracy principles to transform the planning process and ensure inclusive and legitimate decision-making that represents the interests and needs of the local community. Drawing on insights from deliberative forums conducted in 2021 and 2022 on three specific urban plans, the study supports the claim that the deliberative approach can enhance inclusion, diversity and legitimacy compared to existing planning procedures. The findings also highlight the impact of different elements of deliberation design, including recruitment and formulation of topics, on the quality of discussions and outcomes of the deliberation process. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the influence of the provision of adequate and timely information, characteristic of deliberative formats, on the process and outcomes of planning. This research thus contributes to the discourse on democratizing urban planning by emphasizing the importance of deliberation in developing more legitimate and community-oriented planning solutions. It also aims to support the long-term institutionalization of deliberative methods in urban planning in Serbia.
