Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolis: Citizen participation and cohesion policy: co-constructing urban areas

Since 2023, the Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolis (Metropolis GZM) in Poland, has been organising a series of participatory and deliberative processes to design the future of its transportation systems. These processes have been established in cooperation with the Centre for EU Transport Projects in Poland and FADO, and in the context of the Innovative Implementation of the Partnership Principle program, a joint initiative of the European Commission's DG REGIO and the OECD. 

Between 2023 and end of 2024, a three-stage process has been designed and implemented, involving an online survey, research walks, and an upcoming deliberative jury that aims to develop recommendations on the future of rail transport in the GZM Metropolis. The online survey and research walks had the purpose to write with citizens a report that would be the knowledge base for the deliberative process and would include a collaborative mapping of the urban area, insights on the different modes of transportation and commutes among residents, and spatial analysis conducted by partner architects. 

A special focus was placed on the inclusion of people with a wide range of disabilities, a dimension that was overviewed by the social cooperative FADO and accounted for throughout the design and implementation. 

This pilot has a long-term goal to institutionalise participation and deliberation in decision-making, and here specifically in urban planning and the allocation of cohesion policy funds. This pilot involved 7 cities at once, which itself required innovative methods to push for municipal cooperation and encourage citizen engagement in varying contexts. It also implied varying institutional and legal cultures which taught us valuable lessons for future shared deliberative processes. 

• https://metropoliagzm.pl/