A Grounded Theory approach for deconstructing the role of participation in spatial planning: Insights from Nature Park Medvednica, Croatia

Results show a strong role of general socio-political factors affecting the design of spatial planning, which in turn shapes the role of participation. The most important general contextual factors include level of centralization of the state administration, level of urbanization and the culture of participation in decision-making processes, which was mostly exercised in the first process. In the last fifteen years, the participation in spatial planning for Nature Park Medvednica was mostly exercised as a legislative requirement while having very limited effect on the actual plan, and had a symbolic importance by legitimizing the urbanization process of the once forested area.