This master's thesis focuses on public participation and attitude, regarding spatial planning processes at local level. Furthermore, it deals with a hypothesis based on the authoritarian attitude of the spatial planners towards the public; having regard to the direct and indirect impacts of different stakeholders and factors in the area. The thesis comprises a theoretical component and a research component. The methodological approach is aligned with the main research groups: the spatial planning profession and the public. Participants in the qualitative study, namely spatial professionals, who in their work have to deal with public participation, critically evaluate their work and present examples of good and bad practices of integrating the public, and subsequently provide suggestions for establishing active and inclusive spatial planning processes. The quantitative study was conducted between two different target groups: the general public and the interested public. The results of the survey, conducted among the general public, presented the expected results on the overall lack of interest to participate in the spatial planning processes, while the results of the survey, conducted among the interested public, presented a relatively high public confidence in spatial planners.
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