An Assessment of Planning and Project Management Processes under the Zongo and Inner-Cities Regeneration Programme in Ghana

Abstract

Urban regeneration faces both conceptual and process challenges. Conceptually, it tends to have a variety of definitions and meanings. However, while urban regeneration, which is basically the comprehensive improvement of degenerated and declined built environments, urban renewal is only a physical form of it and, itself, has several sub-modes, including slum upgrading. In practice, however, there tends to be a mix of all these by different actors, which are portrayed in the ZICRDP. Similarly, various attempts have been made to develop procedural process models for explaining, assessing and undertaking urban regeneration and renewal transformation processes. Three of these were reviewed but none was considered adequate, independently, for assessing and explaining urban regeneration and renewal interventions. An alternative approach, which combined procedural planning processes - preparation for the intervention, problem identification, statement of objectives, data management, strategy generation, policy formulation, plan design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation - and experiential learning theory was, therefore, developed for the purpose. The former was useful in assessing the various stages of the urban regeneration process, including elements of project management, the latter addressed more of the emotional, relational and knowledge development experiences of participants and stakeholders as well as future programme performance.

Keywords: urban regeneration and renewal, slum upgrading, procedural planning process, project management processes, experiential learning theory, Zongo and inner-city communities, inclusive participation

DOI: 10.7176/CER/16-1-03

Publication date: January 31^st 2024