Participatory Rural Spatial Planning Based on a Virtual Globe-Based 3D PGIS

Linjun Yu,Yalan Liu,Dacheng Wang,Feng He,Xiaotong Zhang

doi:10.3390/ijgi9120763

Abstract

With the current spatial planning reform in China, public participation is becoming increasingly important in the success of rural spatial planning. However, engaging various stakeholders in spatial planning projects is difficult, mainly due to the lack of planning knowledge and computer skills. Therefore, this paper discusses the development of a virtual globe-based 3D participatory geographic information system (PGIS) aiming to support public participation in the spatial planning process. The 3D PGIS-based rural planning approach was applied in the village of XiaFan, Ningbo, China. The results demonstrate that locals’ participation capacity was highly promoted, with their interest in 3D PGIS visualization being highly activated. The interactive landscape design tools allow stakeholders to present their own suggestions and designs, just like playing a computer game, thus improving their interactive planning abilities on-site. The scientific analysis tools allow planners to analyze and evaluate planning scenarios in different disciplines in real-time to quickly respond to suggestions from participants on-site. Functions and tools such as data management, marking, and highlighting were found to be useful for smoothing the interactions among planners and participants. In conclusion, virtual globe-based 3D PGIS highly supports the participatory rural landscape planning process and is potentially applicable to other regions.

Highlights

Small towns and villages play a crucial role in landscape, ecological service, and environmental protection
Three-dimensional (3D) visualization was selected because local villagers, as the major participants in rural spatial planning, usually have little knowledge of planning, and 3.2. TThree-Dimensional (3D) visualization can help them to better understand planning and communicate with planners
To meet the demands for on-site interactions among various stakeholders during rural spatial planning, a virtual globe-based architecture for developing a new type of participatory geographic information system (PGIS) for rural planning was proposed in this paper

Summary

Introduction

Small towns and villages play a crucial role in landscape, ecological service, and environmental protection. Rural planning is not mandatory, which has led to only a few small towns and villages in China undertaking spatial planning. Due to the lack of spatial planning, small towns and villages in rural areas in China are usually spontaneously developing, resulting in a number of problems such as landscape aesthetical issues and ecological and environmental issues. In this context, numerous government policies and development strategies, such as New Countryside Construction and The Beautiful Countryside, have been launched by the Chinese government to save resources and achieve environmentally friendly rural spatial development in China. In the posturbanization process in China, rural spatial planning will face new opportunities and challenges

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