ABSTRACT
The chapter sheds light on governing citizens’ perspectives and sustainability goals in urban development, as it is carried out between municipal planning and developers’ construction projects. Through revisiting of a case study on the development of a new urban district using the lens of Lefebvre's triad of production of space, the chapter will present how contemporary urban development is carried out through a project ecology of actors and discuss the role (or lack thereof) of citizens in this process. Arguments are based on the understanding that urban development is not just about constructing a new built environment, but it also creates the foundations for neighbourhoods to emerge through social spaces in and between buildings by the living of citizens. Key findings suggest that negotiations between municipalities and property developers can reshape goals for urban development districts, often dominated by private property developers who overlook citizen interests and stipulated sustainability goals. Contributions are intended to urban planning research and practitioners by illustrating lessons learnt when having to balance the goals of various actors in a project ecology, with those of citizens, to create a new neighbourhood.
