Public–Private Partnerships in Urban Regeneration Projects: A Review
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 149, Issue 1
Abstract
With the changing paradigm of the State’s functions and the increasing private sector participation in urban planning, public–private partnership (PPP) arrangements gain prominence in the development of cities, whether in the construction and operation of new infrastructures or in interventions in urbanized areas. Regarding urbanized areas, urban regeneration practices constitute an important response in the face of urban degradation observed in different cities, as well as an alternative to the consumption of new land. Despite their use in different contexts, the PPP option in urban regeneration projects encounters many obstacles related to high investment risk, low financial and social return, and the numerous sources of uncertainty generated by these projects. The present work consists of a systematic literature review of papers on PPP in urban regeneration projects, seeking to identify the main research topics addressed so far and what gaps can be identified. It uses a hybrid methodology considering a systematic quantitative review, a semantic analysis, and a narrative analysis. The findings show that the literature on the topic is recent and has been increasing in recent years, with emphasis on Europe, followed by North America and Asia. The literature presents a high variety in terms of journals, authors, and institutions. As for the methodology adopted in the articles, it highlights the use of quantitative methodologies. Five main topics were found: policy, projects, governance, financial and economic issues, and management and contract issues. The topics found show the complexity of PPPs in urban regeneration projects. The gaps observed refer mainly to financial and economic issues, as well as management and contract issues.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
A thank you for the comments made during the S&M Seminar realized in December 2021 by the CERIS—Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability team. This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the project (1801P.00996.1.01) CiTUA PROGRAM 20-23/UIDP/05703/2020.
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Received: Apr 4, 2022
Accepted: Oct 7, 2022
Published online: Dec 7, 2022
Published in print: Mar 1, 2023
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