How to Turn a Planning Conflict into a Planning Success? Conditions for Constructive Conflict Management in the Case of Ruggeveld-Boterlaar-Silsburg in Antwerp, Belgium

Abstract

Spatial projects are often contested. In most cases, contested planning projects evolve into what some conflict scholars have labeled as destructive or intractable conflicts. However, collaborative planning theorists claim that under certain conditions, conflicts can result into constructive outcomes. The Ruggeveld-Boterlaar-Silsburg case in Antwerp, Flanders, might be considered as a conflict with a constructive outcome. We reflect upon the conditions for constructive conflict management and argue that public authority, citizens and experts have to leave their traditional roles. This implies openness to collaborative approaches from the public authority, governance capacity from citizens and finally a collaborative approach toward design.

• planning conflicts
• collaborative planning
• conflict management
• citizen participation

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the anonymous referee of an earlier version of this paper. I would also like to thank the planning agency AG Stadsplanning, the city of Antwerp and my former colleagues Griet Geerinck, Bert Claes and Filip Pittillion for their support in writing this article.

Notes

¹ The ruimtelijk uitvoeringsplan (RUP) is a binding zoning plan that stipulates building regulations, similar to a bijzonder plan van aanleg (BPA). A change in the legislation of 1999, however, changed the name of the zoning plan from BPA to RUP in those municipalities with an approved structure plan.