The Public Participation in Urban Planning – Portuguese Small Town Case

Public participation has become, in recent decades, a centerpiece of the decision making process in urban and environmental planning. This process had been faulted by a lack of efficiency and poor outcomes for most of the 20th century. With the advent of sustainable development, public participation has been enshrined as a key factor towards the building of a sustainable future. Future cities need to be designed according to sustainable methods and principles and participation strengthens the outcomes by involving all actors in the decision process. In this work we review the evolution of Public Participation, its integration in the broader concepts of urban and environmental planning, as well as its objectives and potential benefits. A case study was developed in the Portuguese municipality of Cascais, specifically the Zambujeiro and Murches district, a small town located inside a Natural Park which was integrated within a sustainable planning process. The outcomes and benefits of the process are presented and discussed within the broader framework of Public Participation in environmental decision making.