Participatory planning for implementing a sponge city in informal settlements of Mashhad with a sustainable water management approach

Document Type : Original Research Articles

Authors

Department of Geography, Faculty of Theology and Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

This study aims to elucidate the role of participatory planning in the effective and context-aware implementation of Sponge City principles in the informal settlements of Mashhad, adopting a sustainable urban water management approach. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design (quantitative-qualitative), data were collected through a structured questionnaire (sample of 420 residents), semi-structured interviews with urban managers and local representatives, focus group discussions, and field observations in four selected informal settlements of Mashhad (Khajeh Rabi, Ghal'eh Sakhteman, Seyedi, and Jaddeh Ghadim Ghochan). Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS software, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically using MAXQDA. Quantitative findings revealed that the variables "Sustainable Water Management" (path coefficient = 0.52) and "Public Participation" (0.41) had the greatest impact on the readiness for Sponge City implementation, demonstrating higher importance compared to physical components such as "Green Infrastructure" (0.21) and "Surface Water Drainage Systems" (0.29). Qualitative analysis corroborated the pivotal role of institutional weaknesses, organizational fragmentation, lack of local infrastructure, and, simultaneously, the presence of social capacity and willingness to participate among residents. The overall conclusion of the research indicates that the success of the Sponge City approach in informal settlements depends less on technical and physical solutions and more on transforming urban water governance, institutionalizing genuine participation of local stakeholders, and adapting interventions to the specific socio-institutional contexts of these areas. This study provides an operational framework in which participatory planning acts as an essential link between policymaking, technical design, and the sustainable implementation of the Sponge City.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Geography and Regional Future Studies
Volume 4, Issue 3 - Serial Number 15
Autumn
December 2026
Pages 103-120

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