Virtual Decision Making in Spatial Planning: Web-Based Geographical Information Systems for Public Participation in Environmental Decision Making

Richard KINGSTON*, Steve CARVER*, Andrew EVANS* & Ian TURTON*

* Centre for Computational Geography, School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, LS2 9JT, richard@geog.leeds.ac.uk

Current research examining the potential of the WWW as a means of increasing public participation in environmental decision making in the UK is discussed. The paper considers traditional methods of public participation and argues that new Internet based technologies have the potential to widen participation in the UK planning system. Evidence is provided of the potential and actual benefits of on-line spatial decision making systems in the UK through two real environmental decision making problems at the local and regional scale. The paper identifies key themes developing in this area of Web-based Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and provides case study examples of on-line public participation GIS (PPGIS) from inception to the final phase in a public participation process. It is shown that in certain UK planning problems and policy formulation processes, participatory on-line systems are a useful means of informing and engaging the public. This provides mechanisms for the exploration, experimentation and formulation of decision alternatives by the public in future planning processes and has the potential to bring the public closer to a participatory planning system.




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