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Land developers as institutional and postpolitical actors: Sites of power in land use policy and planning

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  • Donald Leffers

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Canada)

  • Gerda R Wekerle

    (Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Canada)

Abstract

Land developers play an active role as institutional actors that shape the development and governance of urban regions. In this paper, we find that developers not only influence state institutions governing land use, they are place-based actors whose influence is normalized as invited strategic stakeholders in planning exercises. Our analysis highlights the complementarity of institutional and postpolitical theories in offering a nuanced understanding of the multi-faceted and multi-scalar relationships among powerful actors engaged in land development processes. Postpolitical theories highlight the participatory processes of inclusion and exclusion in collaborative-based planning exercises that privilege certain stakeholders and exclude others. Through the lens of institutionalist theory, we move beyond specific land conflicts to focus on the day-to-day interactions and institutionalized roles of key actors, ideas and political influences in shaping contested land policy and outcomes. The analysis is based on multi-year research projects that drew upon interviews, observation and document analysis of key actors’ engagement in initiatives to formulate and implement growth management policies in the Toronto region.

Suggested Citation

  • Donald Leffers & Gerda R Wekerle, 2020. "Land developers as institutional and postpolitical actors: Sites of power in land use policy and planning," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 52(2), pages 318-336, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:52:y:2020:i:2:p:318-336
    DOI: 10.1177/0308518X19856628
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Nicole Gurran & Peter Phibbs, 2013. "Housing supply and urban planning reform: the recent Australian experience, 2003–2012," International Journal of Housing Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(4), pages 381-407, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Antoine Paccoud & Markus Hesse & Tom Becker & Magdalena Górczyńska, 2022. "Land and the housing affordability crisis: landowner and developer strategies in Luxembourg’s facilitative planning context," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(10), pages 1782-1799, October.
    2. Ramezani, Sara & Nastaran, Mahin & Nooraie, Homayoon & Otsuki, Kei, 2023. "The role of the institutional environment in land use planning in Iran: A conceptual framework," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).

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