A Conceptual Framework of Public Participation Utilization for Sustainable Urban Planning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

There is a growing concern for people to contribute to future developments in shaping their surroundings (town, community, and region) and, thus, their quality of life. Therefore, the study aims to propose a framework of public-participation exploitation for sustainable urban planning in Saudi Arabia. The framework proposed was developed based on analyzing the literature review and experts’ opinions through the Delphi technique. The framework covers planning levels and stages, participation methods, sustainability pillars, and the use of information communication technology (ICT). A proposed PP framework is produced, which is comprehensive, yet tailored for the urban-planning context of Saudi Arabia. The framework assists the management of PP properly. It addresses several practical elements that involve the citizens’ awareness regarding PP in the planning process, along with the accessibility of the populace to urban-planning issues. The framework shows that there is no single participatory technique that can satisfy all planning processes. The framework recognizes the importance of integrating sustainability into urban plans. It is concluded that the current framework helps to manage public participation properly and introduces the participants in the planning process, which eventually affects the urban planning of cities in Saudi Arabia.

1. Introduction

In recent decades, the world has experienced a dramatic increase in urbanization [1]. Cities worldwide suffer from population growth and rapid urbanization [2,3]. The urban population worldwide increased from 751 million in 1950 to 4.2 billion in 2018 [4]. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is no exception to this phenomenon. The urban pattern of cities and population (especially Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam) has been growing fast since the last quarter of the 20th century. For instance, urban patterns of the Dammam Metropolitan Area (DMA) have spread from just 2096 hectares in 1973 to 16,148 hectares in 2004 [5]. Over time, cities become centers for clusters of public service and other facilities and economic prosperity, which make them magnets for continuous migration. In fact, these activities act as growth-promoting forces. The specific case of the DMA indicates three main factors that work to promote continued growth: (a) the rapid expansion of the economy, (b) a speculative real-estate market, and (c) the limited capacity of the Dammam Urban Planning Department (DUPD) to impose urban regulations [6].

As a result of dramatic physical and population growth, cities have started to experience several problems, including traffic congestion, infrastructure shortages, loss of green space, and a loss of city identity. This fast growth pattern has created “urban problems that contradict the principles of sustainability” [5]. Rapid growth of this sort leads to the neglect of sustainability criteria and the involvement of local people. This situation demands an increasing role of public participation (PP) in more sustainable planning processes.

Despite its complexity, many countries have employed PP, which offers excellent potential for urban planning. PP provides the opportunity for communication between decision-making agencies and the public [7].

There is a growing concern for people to contribute to future developments by shaping their surroundings (town, community, and region) and thus their own quality of life [8]. This is also true for Saudi people, who have played a very minimal role in shaping their communities. In contrast, planning authorities in Saudi Arabia have fully used their powers, rules, and policies in planning communities and cities. However, according to Aljoufie and Tiwari [9], cities in Saudi Arab face common urban challenges that consist of traffic congestion, limited availability of public transportation, deterioration in air quality, outgrowing water and energy demands and desertification [10], and limited availability of green infrastructure [11]. Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has planned to set up 10 smart cities, including Makkah, Jeddah, Al-Ahsa, Riyadh, Yanbu, Jubail, Al-Madinah, NEOM, Dammam, and KAEC [11], in order to tackle extraordinary urban challenges. Various studies on smart cities in Saudi have found that there is a pressing need to boost citizen participation in the planning and management of smart cities. However, these studies do not talk about the mechanism with which citizen participation will operate [12,13,14]. Therefore, this study is an attempt to fill the knowledge gap by exploring the possibilities of public participation in urban planning, and it has become vital to involve the Saudi people in shaping their physical environment and achieving sustainability. The main goal of this research paper is to propose a framework of public-participation exploitation for sustainable urban planning in Saudi urban planning. The goal of the study is fulfilled through the accomplishment of the following objectives:

• To explore urban planning, participation, sustainability, and information communication technology (ICT) in Saudi Arabia.
• To propose a participation framework for sustainable urban planning in Saudi Arabia.
• This paper takes the stand that PP is an important aspect of sustainable planning. Therefore, integrating PP in urban planning could assist in enhancing urban-planning sustainability.

The sections of the paper are as follows; Firstly, the report presents previous studies on urban planning in Saudi Arabia and reflections on the citizens’ participation in urban planning and sustainable urban planning. In the next section, the study discusses the Delphi technique, which is used as a methodology for proposing the framework. Then in the next section, the paper discusses the proposed framework, and in the end, the research paper concludes that public participation is a vital aspect of sustainable urban planning.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Urban Planning in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi government has paid great attention to the urban planning of cities. This is evident in supporting the growth in urbanization and establishing infrastructure [15]. Many town plans have been planned, including the development of cities, industrial cities, and districts [15,16]. Recently, a new city has been launched, targeting a new way of life [16]. Over the last three decades, urban planning and development, including rapid urbanization, infrastructure development, and the transformation of Saudi society, have brought about a remarkable improvement in the quality of life of Saudi citizens. For instance, according to Arab News [17], the Saudi Ministry of Housing in the first quarter allocated more than 100,000 housing units. Saudi Arabia also has taken on transportation projects for the national and city levels to establish public transit and rail systems. Fast inter- and intra-city metro lines are being constructed to ease traffic congestion. For instance, the new Al-Mashaaer Metro that transports pilgrims during the Hajj season has obviated the need for about 12,000 buses since its inauguration [18]. One more initiative was to improve the green scape and provide shade for pedestrians by planting trees along the road centerline. To promote sustainable tourism, a project was inaugurated in Yanbu, a 12 km waterfront project with a green area [13]. In addition, green areas covering about 12 million m² have been developed in the past, making the coverage of greenery in the city to be about 4%, as shown in Figure 1 [19].

Furthermore, the KSA issued a Royal Decree (No. 28119) in 2013 that focuses on the Future Saudi Cities Program. It uses effective planning and management, including the enhancement and support of economically productive cities, and improves urban legislation and institutional frameworks to achieve sustainable urban development in Saudi cities. The program implementation focuses on a collaboration between the UN-Habitat and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs [20].

Regarding the planning act of Saudi planning, Saudi authorities issued a number of acts to support the urban-planning development process and to strengthen the approach of decentralization: limiting MOMRA power, stressing coordination and consultation, issuing the laws of villages and municipalities, issuing urban growth boundary policy, etc. Saudi urban planning is governed by a number of rules and regulations concerning building densities and permitted uses for various zones within cities, locations for industry and governmental centers, and protected zones near sensitive areas such as beaches and natural areas [19]. Under Saudi Vision 2030, new laws and cities have been launched. The new law gives the Development Authorities a wider and more comprehensive scope of regional planning and supports them with the needed power and budget. The new law for Development Authorities is more efficient than the existing administrative regional councils, which face numerous obstacles [15]. Although urban planning as a discipline that works with the physical environment is acknowledged in the Saudi Vision, it is not explicitly defined. The Saudi Vision might be thought of as a series of policies. It can simply choose an explicit objective from the 27 strategic goals, which are an expansion of the six primary goals of the vision that specifically targets the urban scape by improving the quality of life in cities. “Quality of Life Program 2020” has been designated as one of the 13 programs created to accomplish the vision in order to place more attention on this objective [15].

The new cities are projects labeled as mega-developmental projects. They are targeting a new way of life. They are located in virgin sites and play a role in redefining destinations and lifestyles. The affirmation is in the regional dimension that requires an integrative and sustainable approach [15]. Urban sustainability is one of the elements that has a number of goals to be achieved [21]. These cities have put emphasis on attraction, interventions, and experimentation [14]. Therefore, the vision, new law, and partnership with UN-Habitat on the Future Saudi Cities program might lead to an improvement in urban planning.

Development plans are a result of the planning process, which has a number of stages. By following this process, planners are able to determine a wide range of issues that affect an urban area. Saudi municipalities follow the planning process for the preparation of the urban plan: problem identification, goal formulation, planning process and methodology, data collection, determining opportunities and constraint identification, developing planning alternatives, electing appropriate alternatives, and preparing the formal plan [22].

Generally, approval of a structured plan requires a decision by those actors in the government authorities. In fact, the approval process takes a hierarchy approach and requires coordination between government authorities in order to reach the final approval of the proposed structure plans for the city [23]. In spite of the comprehensiveness of urban planning, including rapid urbanization, infrastructure development, and the transformation of Saudi society, urban-planning systems are facing certain constraints. These constraints include low public participation [22]. Various plans have been launched to support the process of participation in decision-making: the Shura (a consultative assembly) discusses economic and social plans and reviews the annual report of the Ministries, and Municipal Councils provide an opportunity for all citizens to participate in the decision-making through their representatives. Municipal Councils influence decisions about planning and locating social facilities, roads, and other infrastructure projects on the basis of local knowledge, needs, and priorities [22,24].

2.2. Participation

Participation is a process in which two or more parties inspire each other to make a decision. When making the decision, both parties have equal power to determine the outcome of the decision [25]. Participation in decision-making is essential, and which people should have the opportunity to take part in decisions that affect their lives. In addition, the implementations will only be functional if they meet peoples’ concerns and needs [3]. Participation is the inclusion of a range of stakeholders in an ongoing discussion on the planning process, from the identification of problem areas to development and implementation [26].

The success of participation depends not only on the citizens’ understanding of an issue and what is to be accomplished but also on the degree of people’s engagement with authorities. The degree of their engagement can have a significant impact on decision-making. When the people are strongly engaged, it will alter the plan or design [27]. According to Rizzi and Porebska [28], the successful implementation of urban planning based on disaster-risk management is also determined by the support of stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of a participatory approach. Moreover, planning a city requires civic engagement that includes space, time, and people who communicate to identify innovative solutions and reach conclusions. A variety of paradigms and approaches was introduced for urban planning, ranging from Lindblom’s incrementalism and the mixed-scanning model to advocacy planning and so on. As a consequence, a different paradigm has emerged, which is called the communicative planning theory. The communicative approach to planning first gained importance in the 1990s. This approach revolves around the idea of planning as a process of communication and negotiation. It has been investigated by a number of scholars [29,30,31]. This approach is also called the collaborative model. Judith Innes [30] labeled communicative approaches in planning theory as a new paradigm. Healey [29] noted that planning should be an interactive and interpretative process that concentrates on reaching certain levels of mutual understanding and discussion through participation.

Various models, frameworks, and typologies of traditional participation and e-participation have been reported in the literature [32,33,34]. For instance, the model proposed by Arnstein [32] was a ladder, which is a typical model for citizens’ involvement. The study pointed out various degrees of public participation, ranging from non-participation (no influence on the decision-making process) to full participation (having an influence on the outcome of policy and procedures). The lower rung of the ladder toward the top is as follows: manipulation (rung 1), education (rung 2), information (rung 3), consultation (rung 4), placation (rung 5), partnership (rung 6), delegated power (rung 7), and citizen control (rung 8). Those at the top of the ladder are partnership (rung 6), delegated power (rung 7), and citizen control (rung 8), in which participants are able to apply a high degree of control and power over the authorities. Thus, real participation means being able to influence decision-making through providing advice and implies a type of partnership in decision-making.

Egger and Majeres [35] have developed principles for effective participation that can be applied to various urban-planning issues. These principles include inclusion, equal partnership, transparency, sharing power, sharing responsibility, empowerment, and cooperation [36].

Means of participation (traditional medium: personal attendance with the concerned authorities) and a technological medium (using electronic means without having to appear in person) are important in the planning of a process that most effectively engages the public. Basically, choosing a suitable means is “a matter of weighing methods for their ability to effectively and efficiently achieve a task and equitably engage the public” [37] (p. 14).

Regarding applications of participation globally, many countries have employed PP in planning. In Canada, PP has been employed in many cities in the country. PP has been given strong support by both the federal and provincial governments. Moreover, planners, professional consultants, stakeholders, and municipal representatives engage together in developing the goals and objectives of the plan by exchanging local and technical knowledge. The public uses diverse means for engagement (e.g., surveys, newsletters, focus groups, discussions in coffee shops) to collect citizens’ feedback [38]. In the USA, PP has been employed via a number of methods that have been used by the planning authorities in many cities of the country. Workshops, questionnaires, and a website were used for the cities and the regional plan in Denver, Colorado [39]. Public hearings are the most commonly used participation method in North America [40]. A study conducted in Saudi Arabia stated that 84% of the population of Saudi Arabia resides in cities, and Saudi is among the most highly urbanized countries in the world. However, new strategies and policies support the development of smart cities across Saudi. However, the non-availability of data is the major hurdle in the development of smart cities. The used mixed-method approach includes a qualitative review of various urban-planning applications in Jeddah and worldwide in combination with a pilot survey to understand which type and mode of data reporting people prefer. Then they developed ordinal logistic regression models to predict the effect of different categorical variables (nationality, gender, age, profession, education, and income level) on the perception of people. The results found significant differences in public opinions based on nationality, gender, education, profession, and income levels in the city of Jeddah. The study also suggests that the availability of abundant data through public participation might be helpful in realizing the success of smart cities under Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia, for which maximizing quality of life is a key target [41].

2.3. Sustainability

The concept of sustainability is a vital element in urban planning, which assists in the creation of plans for suitable cities. Sustainable dimensions include environmental, social, and economical dimensions. These diverse, sustainable dimensions can contribute to enhancing spatial planning and improving the lives of people [42]. Sustainable resources in terms of the environment are needed because they affect the health of the public. For instance, in one study, Spotswood et al. [43] found that communities that are majorly affected by COVID-19 in the USA are those that have the least nature near them. Another study talked about the relationship between noise complaints and urban density across cities of different levels of density, which is a vital urban-development and -planning factor. The findings include 359,231 noise complaints from England, 77,518 from London, and 436,692 from New York. In England (coefficient 0550, 95% CI 0446-0635), London (0549, 0455-0630), and New York (0557, 0523-0589), there were significant correlations between noise-complaint rates and urban density. When classifying the data into different bands of noise intensity, statistically significant positive coefficients were also found. In England and London, the relationships were linear, whereas in New York, they were not. The link weakened and the slope steepened when the density approached 230 persons per acre [44]. In addition, another study discovered the impact of soundscape drivers on perceived birdsong and modeled the associated drivers. The findings showed that there high-frequency contents have an effect on perceived birdsong in urban forests [45].

In fact, citizen engagement in planning and decision-making has been recognized as a fundamental goal of sustainable development [46]. PP should be inclusive, deliberative, and communicative of citizens’ concerns and needs regarding planning issues [27]. In order to make a planning process sustainable, that planning process has to engage stakeholders, citizens, and planning representatives in interactive and constructive discussions addressing diverse environmental, social and developmental planning issues [47]. In addition, Yang et al. [48] assumed that in the protection of traditional rural landscapes with cultural elements, local residents’ protection attitudes were primarily influenced by economic benefits and daily utility values rather than cultural values, and appropriate incentives for the development of a protection attitude among local residents were needed to ensure the cultural heritage’s long-term viability. The importance of a landscape-assessment survey carried out among local experts was also emphasized, which facilities the identification of cultural priorities concerning the visual qualities in a landscape, specifically for a defined area of study. Inviting local experts as respondents is vital in order to avoid the deviations observed between residents’ and external experts’ responses regarding their value perceptions and preservation attitudes.

Furthermore, planning should have a space for communication and discussion where differences of views, values, and power are addressed [49]. Agenda 21, following the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, highlights the role of broad participation as the main element of sustainability [50]. Without the involvement of the public in urban planning, the identified requirements may not reflect the public’s needs and priorities. If this were to be the case, public needs could be mistakenly identified or neglected, and no sustainable urban planning would be achieved. Thus, progressing towards sustainable cities/neighborhoods requires planning so as to enable all citizens to participate, have their needs met, and improve their well-being [51].

To strengthen sustainability in planning issues, it is important to include the involvement of a number of sectors (such as people, planners, and municipal representatives) in the discussion of urban-planning issues. This involvement is essential for ensuring the long-term success of sustainability planning [52]. Additionally, involving people in the creation of urban plans and projects contributes to building trust and strengthening the commitment of all stakeholders, which in turn develops sustainable solutions, programs, and projects. In fact, trust among people, stakeholders, and the municipality in the participation process is one of the main factors behind the success of sustainability planning [53].

2.4. Information Communication Technology

Today, we live in a new age and have become more of an information-based society. In fact, society has information-based objects that are not only conveniences but also devices that have many capabilities [54]. An information society is concentrated on sharing information to connect and communicate with various areas of the world. It is concerned with the area of social equality, which focus on the spread of information and engage in discussions [54]. There is continuous progress in information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and the growth of Internet usage, with a rise in the number of Internet users worldwide [55]. With advances in information communication technology (ICT), information can travel through networks connecting people together in a short amount of time and with a low cost of access and remove all communication barriers [54].

It caused an essential change throughout society in which society moved from the industrial age to the networked age. Therefore, information communication technology (ICT) has been adopted as a strategy for urban issues [56]. Several ICT tools are used to facilitate citizens’ participation in the urban-planning process and plans to implement in the form of web-based participation, mobile-participation applications, and social-media networks [57].

ICT provides varied objectives for public participation, including informing people, generating support among people, utilizing peoples’ input in decision-making, and probing for peoples’ needs. Further ICT tools have been employed in the form of online discussion forums, e-mail, online surveys, online chat, and group support systems. Therefore, ICT tools help to create an environment for easy and open communication between planners and citizens and citizens to citizens [58]. ICT has the potential to improve traditional public participation [59]. ICT-based participation tools are capable of fostering more people’s participation [60]. In addition, this tool shifts top-down planning towards a more participatory approach [58,61]. ICT tools keep the public effectively engaged within the planning process and facilitate participation and interaction when the physical presence in meetings of interested parties is not possible. Many ICT-based participation platforms have been developed to engage people in urban-planning issues. Some of these e-participation platforms include Unlimited Cities, Smarticipate, and BlockbyBlock. Online games (nextCampus, Participatory Chinatown, and Second Life) provide an educational environment for nonprofessionals in urban planning where citizens discuss planning issues, make decisions, and submit planning proposals [62].

Coleman and Gøtze [63] indicated that there are a number of countries that have employed ICT in participation, including Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America [64].

Table 1. Government consultation portal.

Participation Portal	Country
https://www.reach.gov.sg/feedback, accessed on 2 April 2021 [65]	Singapore’s government consultation portal
https://www.bristol.gov.uk/consultations-and-petitions, accessed on 2 April 2021 [66]	The UK’s consultation and petitions portal
https://www.regulations.gov, accessed on 2 May 2021 [67]	The US’s Regulations.gov portal

shows the government consultation portal for various countries.

In 2015, the city of Madrid created the Decide Madrid web platform with the objective of promoting direct public participation on a range of subjects, including (1) an ideation forum: Any citizen can provide a proposal to improve the city, and it becomes binding for the municipality if approved by citizens; (2) consultations: The city council consults the citizens about issues and can select between alternative projects; And (3) participatory budgeting: the city council asks people to vote on the amount of money for projects proposed. Platforms (such as Fixmy Street) are used for people to provide feedback on the condition of roads and public infrastructure. Fixmy Street, a software using open-source technologies, was initiated in the United Kingdom and is currently used in 10 countries and several municipalities [68].

ICT should not be seen only for its capacity to implement new systems and infrastructure but also for the benefits that could be obtained at the administration level [65]. Using ICT tools for urban planning and management offers an opportunity to develop solutions and provide a suitable platform for participatory urban planning, policy development, and collaborative decision-making [58]. Moreover, ICT may induce major enhancement to public participation, which allows instant information to be generated and reduces the geographical barriers. It provides access for more people to be involved. Therefore, engaging citizens through ICT in urban-planning issues enhances the sustainability of city planning. In addition, it provides inclusive and participatory urban-development processes by involving large numbers of stakeholders—people, authorities, and NGOs—in urban-planning issues.

Based on the aforementioned literature, there are several studies touching on PP worldwide. However, there is reasonable scope for a PP framework in urban planning, which is the focus of the current study. In the Saudi Arabian context, there is no study that focuses on a PP framework for sustainable urban planning. This study will bridge the gap in studies concerning public participation in urban planning in the KSA.

3. Methodology

3.1. The Process to Develop the Proposed Public-Participation Framework

The proposed framework was developed based on a number of steps. Figure 2 shows the process of developing the proposed participation framework for sustainable urban planning in the KSA. The proposed framework was developed in its conceptual state based on analyzing the literature review and experts’ opinions through the Delphi technique. This paper employed the Delphi technique to generate views regarding frameworks of public-participation utilization for sustainable urban planning in the KSA. Moreover, it was used to develop a consensus regarding a set of dimensions/categories and elements. The levels of agreement for categories and elements were rated using a five-point Likert scale.

3.2. Experts

The experts were selected from various sectors, namely, planning practitioners, academics and researchers in higher education, NGO and civil-society representatives, representatives of the public, representatives of the business sector, and government officials in planning. Out of 48 selected experts, only 36 experts participated in this research paper, which is about 75|% of the total exports.

Table 2. Type of experts involved in the survey.

Sectors	Institutions	No. of Experts Selected	Participating Experts
Government officials	Municipality	7	5
Academics and researchers in higher education	University and college of urban planning	8	7
Representatives of the business sector	Commerce chamber, industry associations, professional bodies	9	7
Representatives of public	Municipal Councils	8	6
NGO and civil-society representatives	Local organization	7	4
Planning practitioner	Research officers, skill planners, planning and architecture office	9	7
Total		48	36

shows the type of experts selected. The proposed framework was put in for validation through experts by developing a questionnaire concerning the participation framework for sustainable urban planning. Experts were asked to determine the level of agreement of each element of the proposed framework for urban planning in the KSA.

4. Proposed Framework of Public Participation and its Description

4.1. Component of the Proposed Framework of Public Participation

After a comprehensive review of the literature, it was determined that the sustainability of urban planning can be enhanced through participation. Thus, developing participation frameworks assists in improving the probability of success of urban-planning sustainability. The PP components of the proposed frameworks were extracted by exploring the literature and synthesized by employing the Delphi technique. In the first round, experts evaluated and identified the components of the proposed framework; in second round, the experts evaluated and narrowed down the adjusted components from the first round.

Hence, a framework of public participation for sustainable urban planning is proposed and illustrated in

Table 3. Conceptual framework of public participation for sustainable urban planning.

		Urban Planning
Planning (planning level and stages)	Urban-planning stages/process	1 Problem identification	2 Goal formulation	3 Planning process and methodology	4 Data collection	5 Determining opportunities and constraint identification	6 Developing planning alternatives	7 Selecting appropriate alternatives	8 Preparing the formal plan
	Level of planning	Neighborhoods Cities	Neighborhoods Cities	Neighborhoods Cities	Neighborhoods Cities	Neighborhoods Cities	Neighborhoods Cities	Neighborhoods Cities	Neighborhoods Cities
Participation Methods (participation in the sustainability of urban planning	Domain of participant input	Public domain	Public domain	Professional domain	Professional domain	Professional domain	Public domain	Public domain	Public domain
	Best-fitting participatory technique/method	Citizen survey	Open discussion workshop	No participation Limited to professionals	No participation Limited to professionals	No participation Limited to professionals	Public meetings, open discussion	Public meetings, open discussion	Exhibition, public hearing
Information Communication Technology (ICT)	Means of participation	Electronic participation (online survey questionnaire)	Traditional participation (personal attendance)	Electronic and traditional p. (online discussion forum, videoconferencing)	Electronic and traditional p. (online discussion forum, videoconferencing)	Electronic and traditional p. (online discussion forum, videoconferencing)	Electronic and traditional p. (online discussion forum, videoconferencing)	Electronic p. (online discussion forum, videoconferencing)	Electronic and traditional p.
Sustainability Pillars (sustainability of urban planning)	Nature of participation that enhances sustainability	Inclusive (includes all voices) Two-way communication	Inclusive (includes all voices) Two-way communication	Professional communication from various fields	Professional communication from various fields	Professional communication from various fields	Inclusive (includes all voices) Two-way communication	Inclusive (includes all voices) Two-way communication	Inclusive (includes all voices) Two-way communication
	Nature of involvement in the context of sustainability	Avenue for the public in identifying problems of sustainability in urban-planning issues	Avenue for the public in formulating goals for achieving urban-planning sustainability	Avenue for professionals in considering sustainable dimensions in planning	Avenue for professionals in considering sustainable dimensions in data collection	Avenue for professionals in considering sustainable dimensions in determining opportunities	Avenue for the public in developing alternatives solutions for the problem related to environmental, economic, and social aspects	Avenue for the public in selecting an alternative, should consider the sustainable dimensions in urban planning	The presented plan should answer the society’s needs and consider the sustainable dimension.

Namely: environmental, social, and economic and 4 uses of information communication technology (ICT). Each one of them has a number of categories. These dimensions should work as integrated elements to foster sustainable urban planning. Table 3 was developed to illustrate the dimensions and elements of the frameworks of public participation for sustainable urban planning.

. The PP components of the proposed frameworks were categorized into four dimensions as a core for the proposed framework of public participation for sustainable urban planning, including (1) planning level and stages (including both planning level, namely, action area, neighborhoods, and cities, and planning process, namely, problem identification, goal formulation, planning process and methodology, data collection, determining opportunities and constraint identification, developing planning alternatives, selecting appropriate alternatives, and preparing the formal plan), (2) participation methods and means (including method of participation and means of participation), and (3) a sustainability pillar.

4.2. Description of the Public Participation Framework for Sustainable Urban Planning

Table 3 illustrates the framework for sustainable urban planning. The framework considers participation not only as input into urban planning but also as an essential operational dimension for urban-planning sustainability. In fact, it leads to the achievement of sustainable decisions in urban planning. It involves maintaining quality PP in planning in Saudi Arabia, which is of benefit to the planning authorities in general, and the society and community in particular.

Since sustainable urban planning is largely determined by integrating PP, the present framework involves creating positive engagement for PP. By so doing, it puts stress on the vitality of engaging the public in participation. The framework consists of the professional domain (technical stages) and the public domain (non-technical stages). According to Alshihri et al. [22], the non-technical stages are more effective than the technical stages in participation activities. PP is more effective in the initial definition of problems, goal formulation, and selection of alternatives. Thus, sustainability is formulated after effective consultation with the public and stakeholders in the definition of problems, goal formulation, and selection of alternatives.

The proposed framework stresses the importance of the interactive approach, which acts as a venue for the public to actively participate with the planning authority, which has a practical impact on the final output. It is important to note that PP in this framework enables the intervention of local people from the first stage of the urban-planning process. Furthermore, the framework allows participants (both local people and authorities) to monitor whether the sustainable dimensions and their principles are considered in the planning-process stages in order to constitute sustainable urban planning. The framework also suggests three categories, namely, the method of participation, the means of participation, and who should participate (participants). Each dimension has a number of alternatives, which are prioritized from highly recommended to low. Alternatives placed at the top of the list are the best choices, and as one goes lower down in the list, the alternative is comparatively lower. Planning authorities select the appropriate alternative from those alternatives for conducting participation.

5. Experts’ Opinions for Validation Framework of Public Participation—Validation-Based Delphi Technique

In this section, experts’ opinions were explored to validate the framework. Experts rated these dimensions based on the level of agreement. For rating the level of agreement of categories of the proposed framework, experts were asked to record their level of agreement or disagreement on the five-point rating scale (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, and strongly disagree). Mean values and standard deviations for all the dimensions and categories of the proposed framework were calculated. A response-average column was added to the table to assist in sorting them. Response averages were calculated by employing the following formula:

[(strongly agree × 5) + (agree × 4) + (neutral × 3) + (disagree × 2) + (strongly disagree × 1)]/5

Table 4. The means, standard deviations, and averages for the framework of public participation.

Dimensions	Mean	Standard Deviation	Average %
Planning levels and stages	1.53	0.560	89.44
Participation methods and means	1.36	0.543	92.86
Sustainability pillars	1.28	0.454	94.44
Use of ICT	1.72	0.701	85.56

shows that the mean values for the dimensions of the proposed model were in the range of 1.28 and 1.72. The average values for the dimensions were in the range of 85.56 and 94.44 based on a five-point Likert scale, where 1 represents strongly agree and 5 strongly disagree. Moreover, standard deviations for all the dimensions came to a satisfying consensus. They were less than 1 and in the range of 0.46 and 0.70 (Figure 3).

The four dimensions were located within the range between strongly agree and agree. In addition, there was a satisfying consensus among experts on using the four dimensions in the proposed framework for sustainable urban planning. However, in a recent study, Chowdhury et al. [69] asserted that in Bangladesh, 57% of the experts viewed that evaluating tools are not being implemented in the process of urban planning. Moreover, Ameen and Mourshed [70] determined water (8.5%), safety (7.9%), transportation, and infrastructure (7.8%) as the high-weighted indicators of sustainability in urban planning in Iraq.

5.1. Planning-Level and Stages Dimension

This dimension has a number of categories, including planning level, planning stages concerning the public domain, and planning stages concerning the technical domain. The mean values for the categories of planning dimensions were in the range of 1.25 and 2.83. The standard deviations for the categories were less than 1 and in the range of 0.44 and 0.96, except for the provincial-level category, recorded at 1.42. The category of planning level was considered the most important category, as can be seen in

Table 5. The means and standard deviations for the categories of the dimensions for the framework of public participation.

Dimensions	Categories/Elements of Dimensions		Agreement Level of Categories					Mean, Standard Deviation, and Average
			Strongly Agree	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Mean	Standard deviation	Rating Average
Planning Level and Stages	Planning Levels	Provincial level	19.4	33.3	8.3	22.2	16.7	2.83	1.42	63.24
		City level	36.1	61.1	2.8	0.0	0.0	1.67	0.53	86.66
		Neighborhood level	75.0	25.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.25	0.44	95.0
	Planning Stages (public domain)	Initial problem definition	66.7	30.6	2.8	0.0	0.0	1.36	0.54	92.86
		Goal formulation	50.0	44.4	5.6	0.0	0.0	1.56	0.61	88.88
		Selecting alternatives	63.9	36.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.36	0.49	92.78
		Preparing the formal plan	52.8	38.9	8.3	0.0	0.0	1.56	0.65	88.9
	Planning Stages (tech. domain)	Dev. planning process and methodology	69.4	30.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.31	0.47	93.88
		Data collection	61.1	33.3	5.6	0.0	0.0	1.44	0.61	91.1
		Data analysis	66.7	27.8	5.6	0.0	0.0	1.39	0.60	92.3
		Developing alternatives	41.7	41.7	5.6	11.1	0.0	1.86	0.96	82.86
Participation Methods and Means	Participation Method	Questionnaires	77.8	16.7	5.6	0.0	0.0	1.28	0.57	94.52
		Open discussion—workshop	50.0	44.4	5.6	0.0	0.0	1.56	0.61	88.88
		Public M.—open discussion	55.6	33.3	11.1	0.0	0.0	1.56	0.7	88.9
		Display—exhibition	80.6	13.9	5.6	0.0	0.0	1.25	0.55	95.08
	Participation Means	Electronic participation means	77.8	16.7	5.6	0.0	0.0	1.28	0.57	94.52
		Electronic and traditional participation	86.1	11.1	2.8	0.0	0.0	1.17	0.45	96.66
		Traditional participation method	52. 8	33.3	8.3	5.6	0.0	1.67	0.87	86.66
Sustainability Pillars	Sustainable Elements	Social	69.4	30.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.31	0.47	93.88
		Economic	75.0	25.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.25	0.44	95
		Environmental	88.9	11.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.11	0.32	97.78
Use of ICT	ICT Points	Interactive two-way com	61.1	27.8	8.3	2.8	0.0	1.51	0.72	89.44
		Technology for many people (accessible)	58.3	36.1	2.8	2.8	2.8	1.48	0.64	90.54
		Access to resources 24/7	61.1	36.1	2.8	0.0	0.0	1.42	0.56	91.66
		Using ICT for participation management	69.4	22.2	2.8	5.6	0.0	1.41	0.71	91.08
		ICT as a participation method	80.6	16.7	2.8	0.0	0.0	1.22	0.45	95.64

. Planning stages (technical domain) and planning stages (public domain) came in second and third, respectively. Considering the significance of the planning-level and stage dimension, Puchol-Salort et al. [71] in their study proposed a sustainability framework that integrates the planning-system process with design solutions. The prominent feature of the stated framework is the usage of spatial representation via a geographical information system (GIS) in the planning framework to make it more realistic and relevant.

5.2. Participation Methods and Means Dimension

This dimension has two main categories, including participation methods and participation mechanisms (means). The mean values for the categories of participation methods and means were in the range of 1.17 and 1.67. The standard deviations for the categories were less than 1 and in the range of 0.45 and 0.87. This means a satisfactory consensus.

The category of participation method was considered the most important category. The participation mechanisms came in second on the agreement level of the important category. Both categories recorded a close level of expert agreement.

5.3. Sustainability Pillars Dimension

It was recorded that the mean values of the sustainable dimension categories were in the range of 1.11 and 1.31. The standard deviations for the categories were less than 1 and in the range of 0.32 and 0.47. This means that a satisfactory consensus regarding sustainability measures is to be considered in urban planning. Similar to this framework, Dabeedooal et al. [72] proposed in their urban sustainability framework that two integral elements of livability and sustainability are achieved through focusing on cultural and historical dimensions that are part of a city’s heritage. However, Saunders et al. [73] presented a framework of marine spatial planning in which they included three dimensions of social sustainability, namely, recognition, representation, and distribution.

5.4. Use of ICT Dimension

It was recorded that the mean values of the ICT dimension categories were in the range of 1.22 and 1.51. The standard deviations for the categories were less than 1 and in the range of 0.45 and 0.72. This means a satisfactory consensus. The findings show that the respondents were more likely to be in favor of using the dimensions and categories for the proposed framework. The framework was developed to deal with and manage the existence of many issues, obstacles, and challenges of urban planning. The findings show that alternative methods of participation suited specific stages of planning. The results of the study show that the integration of information, communication, and technology is vital to sustainable urban planning from the initial phase of planning implementation. Additionally, Gretzel et al. [74] emphasized in their study adopting a holistic approach to ICT and the Internet of Things when transforming cities into tourist attractions using digital tools. For instance, in Spain, tourists are provided with a facility to charge their mobile phones. In Australia, there are sites where tourists can use a hotspot. Additionally, Kostoska and Kocarev [75] propounded an ICT-enabled sustainability framework that was designed to achieve sustainable-development goals while establishing vertical and horizontal linkages among all the stakeholders for the advancement of society.

6. Limitations and Future Recommendations

There are some limitations to the study. Firstly, the study only took opinions from experts and did not include the opinion of citizens due to time constraints. The study also did not have any representation from the government body responsible for urban planning and did not acquire their opinion. However, future researchers can test the framework through the opinion of citizens and the government.

7. Implications

The proposed framework dimensions used have a vital role to play in attaining sustainable urban plans in Saudi Arabia. Following the suggested framework, the government can include public participation, and the decisions made would be more sustainable and the Saudi Vision 2030 would be achieved. The Vision of 2030 in Saudi Arabia is to improve the tourist experience and effectively manage tourism by developing effective urban resources by following the proposed framework in order to attain sustainable solutions. This framework will strengthen relationships between the government and the general public and help them work in coordination to improve urban plans. It also provides the groundwork for future researchers to enhance the framework.

8. Conclusions

A comprehensive framework was developed for urban planning for sustainability in Saudi Arabia. It was concluded that a participatory approach is vital for creating successful and sustainable urban plans, as has been agreed upon by many authors [52,53,54,55]. This research paper demonstrates the importance of PP for progressing towards sustainable urban planning. In order to develop a proper framework, local matters were investigated, a literature review was carried out, and the Delphi technique was followed. Most of the findings reached through the use of the Delphi Technique emphasize the importance of using the dimensions and categories for the proposed framework. The framework was developed to deal with and manage the existence of many issues, obstacles, and challenges of urban planning.

However, the current framework has a number of features, which can be summarized as follows:

• The framework assists with the management of PP in a proper manner and addresses a number of practical elements that involve the awareness of citizens regarding PP in the planning process, along with the accessibility of the populace to urban-planning issues.
• The framework relies on making connections between the public, agencies, professions, and disciplines; between public and private sectors; and between the government and the public. Thus, strong urban planning/plans can be developed from planning processes that involve a broad range of participants from society. Thus, the proposed framework assists in reaching a sustainable decision in urban planning.
• The framework shows that there is no single participatory technique that can satisfy all planning processes.
• The framework addresses the sustainable aspects of whole stages in the preparation of urban plans.
• The framework recognizes the importance of integrating sustainability into urban plans.

It can be concluded that the current framework helps to manage PP in the proper manner and introduces the participants in the planning process, which eventually affects the urban planning of cities in Saudi Arabia. The dimensions used in the framework have a vital role to play in attaining sustainable urban plans.