A PARTNERSHIP OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS AS A MODEL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF URBAN REVITALIZATION PROJECTS

Revitalization comprises activities aimed at solving the problems of degraded urban areas. Those activities are intended to improve the quality of life of urban residents, to stimulate the economy, and to restore spatial order. An efficient and competent restoration of urban material assets is a prerequisite to a successful revitalization, yet it does not suffice alone. This is because a city is not merely a product of town planners and architects; it is primarily a cultural area focusing various existential, emotional and symbolic values. A local community identifies with those values and it has the right to treat urban areas subjectively in the process of decision making aimed at introducing changes in their development. In other words, social partnership and social participation should be regarded as indispensable factors of urban revitalization. The paper shows the dimension of social participation, describing its partners and scope. The author discusses various forms of participation based on the EU guidelines, and puts forward various models of social participation in the process of urban revitalization.