Methodology and framework of comparative urban planning law

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to systematise the methodology used in comparative urban planning law and propose primary contexts for comparison in planning law. Design/methodology/approach This study undertook a review of comparative law methodology discourse and sought to establish connections between the discourse and the field of planning law. Findings This study argues for establishment of a realistic goal for comparative planning law by focusing on the planning law's modifiability. The goal of comparison in planning law should not be to find universally desirable principles or better solutions. Rather, the goal should be to identify a motive for devising a solution. This is because it is not only difficult to establish legal values that are universally applicable to planning law but also inappropriate to determine superiority of planning laws that have been developed over time by each jurisdiction’s sovereignty and policies on land use. When determining comparable systems for analysis among legal systems that are functionally equivalent, it is important to consider the context of land use relations alongside the comparative analysis to be done. To set realistic goals, the context should not be extended indefinitely but be systematised. Based on the foundational relationship underlying planning law, including the tension between planning authorities and property owners, this study presents five specific contexts for comparative analysis: “Strength of Property Rights,” “Level of Judicial Intervention,” “Plan- or Development-led System,” “Allocation of Planning Power” and “Level of Participation.” Examination of these contexts will allow better understanding of the similarities and differences among different systems and practical application of the results of comparative studies. Originality/value This study presents a novel approach to systematising the methodology and framework of comparative planning law.

Urban green open space in developing countries: Indonesia regulations, problems and alternative solutions

“…Urban planning with legal approach engage as external intervention in land use, particularly regarding the type and scale of buildings that can be constructed, then right holders will not use the land as they please, resulting in inevitable conflicts over land use. The one-dimensional approach to resolving such problems without involvement of a planning authority is to align the parties’ interests individually, such as by reaching an agreement on compromises regarding each party’s rights or adjusting infringement by private legal principles (Jeon, 2023). This agreement on compromises is in line with characteristic of its formation according to H.D.…”