Governance Capacity of the City of Niš, Serbia, in the Spatial Planning Process

Abstract

The basic objective of this paper is to research the capacity of local-level governance in Serbia to transform spatial planning practices. The analysis was performed on the case study of the City of Niš, where besides the presence of formal planning instruments, new informal governance practices have emerged. The governance of spatial development was analyzed in relation to three ideal governance models: hierarchy, market, and network, and four planning models: the comprehensive planning model, the negotiative planning model, the neoliberal model, and the collaborative model. The strengths and weaknesses of the institutional and planning framework are defined, and recommendations for improvement are given.