Barriers to Meaningful Public Participation in Land-Use Planning: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This systematic literature review synthesizes global empirical evidence on the barriers that hinder meaningful public participation in land-use planning. Guided by the Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES), the review employed the PICo framework to formulate the research question and systematically searched in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025. Sixty-six articles met eligibility criteria, and 58 high-quality studies were retained following appraisal using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Inductive thematic analysis identified six overarching categories of participation barriers: institutional, socio-economic, political, cultural, procedural, and technological constraints. These themes encompass 21 sub-themes, including weak legal mandates, bureaucratic fragmentation, elite capture, limited transparency, socio-economic inequality, restrictive cultural norms, late-stage consultation, inaccessible information, and the growing digital divide. Findings show that such barriers often overlap and collectively restrict communities’ influence over planning outcomes, particularly in centralized or resource-constrained governance systems. The review highlights the need for strengthened legal frameworks, improved transparency, culturally attuned engagement strategies, socio-economic support mechanisms, and hybrid digital–physical participation models. By consolidating fragmented evidence across multiple world regions, this review contributes a comprehensive understanding of the structural, procedural, and contextual factors that impede inclusive and equitable land-use planning. The synthesis offers practical guidance for policymakers and provides a foundation for future research aimed at enhancing participatory land governance