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GeoRes 2023, 38(1): 73-82 |
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Received: 2023/01/15 | Accepted: 2023/03/8 | Published: 2023/04/9
Received: 2023/01/15 | Accepted: 2023/03/8 | Published: 2023/04/9
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Gheysari H, Modiri A, Kalantari Khalilabad H. Stakeholder Conflicts in Regeneration of Urban Spaces; a Case Study of 30 Tir Street of Tehran, Iran. GeoRes 2023; 38 (1) :73-82
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Stakeholder Conflicts in Regeneration of Urban Spaces; a Case Study of 30 Tir Street of Tehran, Iran
1- Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2- Academic Jihad Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
2- Academic Jihad Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
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Introduction
In recent years, urban regeneration has been introduced as one of the most effective processes for urban redevelopment [Roberts et al., 2017]. Essentially, regeneration is an interventionist activity [Leary & McCarthy, 2013]. This approach has been welcomed by urban planners due to its characteristics, such as a comprehensive perspective on inefficient urban fabrics [Roberts & Sykes, 2008], attention to the social dimensions of interventions [Lochrie, 2016], the creation of gradual yet sustainable changes within target areas [Tallon, 2013], and the empowerment of residents in addressing local problems and challenges [Bahadorinejad & Zaker Haghighi, 2016].
However, despite its general acceptance, multiple studies have shown that applying urban regeneration as a planning process through redevelopment projects faces fundamental obstacles [Kalantari Khalilabad et al., 2014; Landorf, 2011]. A review of experiences within Iran indicates that one major barrier to regeneration projects is their failure to “resolve stakeholder conflicts,” which either leads to project failure or delays their implementation by several years [Mottaghi et al., 2020; Ghaderi et al., 2019; Ariana et al., 2020; Abachi et al., 2018]. Examples include the Navab Street project, the Siros neighborhood regeneration project, and the Niloufar Boulevard project in Tehran. Similarly, other urban development projects, such as Imam Ali Highway, Velayat Park, Book Garden, Sadr Expressway, and Amir Kabir Tunnel, have required 5 to 10 years for completion. Accordingly, the failure to resolve stakeholder conflicts in a timely manner leads to irreparable consequences, some of which have been documented in prior research. For instance, Haghighat Naeini et al. [2022] have highlighted increased hostility and conflict among residents surrounding projects, as well as elevated stress and anxiety levels. Abachi et al. [2018] have examined stakeholder displacement from the regeneration process, while Rastgar Hosseini [2016] addresses forced relocation of residents. Sarkheili et al. [2016] have considered the emergence of rent-seeking and real estate speculation.
Thus, one critical factor influencing the success of urban regeneration projects is the interaction among stakeholders with diverse interests in project activities and outcomes [Bahadorestani et al., 2020]. This interaction is important for two reasons: first, it ensures the “timely execution of projects,” and second, it guarantees the “success of projects post-implementation” [Eyiah-Botwe et al., 2016; Lam et al., 2011]. This has led to the concept of conflict management, which allows for the identification of relationships among actors and power holders [Yu et al., 2019] and enables the use of stakeholders’ knowledge and ideas to design and implement projects, providing solutions that enhance the sustainability and vitality of the intended location [Soma et al., 2018]. The importance of this issue is particularly pronounced in projects with social or commercial characteristics.
Si Tir Street, one of Tehran’s historic streets, underwent an urban regeneration project in 2016. During this project, the street was paved, and a hybrid traffic model, pedestrian-oriented with low-speed vehicle access, was introduced, creating a semi-pedestrianized environment and a more vibrant social space. Food and refreshment kiosks were established along the southern section, gradually transforming Si Tir Street into Tehran’s renowned food street, a function it maintains to this day. The objectives of this project indicated that, regardless of its specific designation, it aligns with the principles and goals of urban regeneration, as it seeks to assign a new function to the street while preserving its original characteristics, a fundamental principle of any regeneration program [Tallon, 2013]. Therefore, this study focuses on Si Tir Street as a case of urban regeneration.
The first concept addressed in this study is conflict. Conflict arises when two or more values, goals, or beliefs are inherently contradictory and no agreement has yet been reached [Sarkheili et al., 2016]. In urban projects, conflict refers to any disagreement or incompatibility among individuals or groups with different objectives and interests regarding living, working, or utilizing the project area. Conflicts in urban projects generally emerge due to competing demands for limited resources (e.g., land use), unequal distribution of costs and benefits resulting from development, and environmental consequences of land-use changes [Sarkheili et al., 2016].
Generally, conflicts can be classified into four types [Ariana et al., 2020]:
Based on this, the stakeholder analysis technique has emerged. Its application is intended to identify and assess the importance of key individuals, groups, and institutions that may significantly influence the success of organizational activities or projects [Toukola & Ahola, 2022; Lochrie, 2016]. This analytical method allows for the comparison of different stakeholders’ perspectives on a single issue, a comparison that is central to the present study. Conceptually, this study examines stakeholder conflicts within the currently built environment. That is, it focuses on the stage where an urban space, post-regeneration, is being utilized by various individuals and organizations, each with differing goals and expectations. Conflict is thus examined from the perspective of “how each actor uses the existing space.”
Accordingly, the aim of this research is to identify existing conflicts among stakeholders of Si Tir Street and to analyze how these conflicts are perceived and valued by the stakeholders themselves.
Methodology
This study employed a survey design with a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach [Creswell, 2013; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2010] in 2022, targeting five groups of stakeholders and actors associated with Si Tir Street in Tehran. Twenty participants were selected for the qualitative component using purposive sampling, while 190 participants were included in the quantitative component using convenience sampling.
Si Tir Street is one of Tehran’s oldest streets and part of its historic structure. Previously known as Ghavam-ol-Saltaneh Street, it was renamed following the historical event of 30 Tir 1331, when people protested against Ghavam-ol-Saltaneh. Si Tir Street begins at Imam Khomeini Street in the south and ends at the intersection of Jomhouri and Mirza Kuchak Khan streets in the north. Located in District 12 of Tehran, the street has long been a tourism hub, featuring diverse historical buildings such as a mosque, church, synagogue, Abgineh Museum, Science Museum, National Museum, Zoroastrian Fire Temple, and proximity to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The paving project of Si Tir Street aimed to calm vehicular traffic and pursue two goals: revitalizing Tehran nights and promoting entrepreneurship. In late 2016, District 12 Municipality allowed kiosks and cafes at the intersection of Si Tir and Imam Khomeini streets to utilize the newly paved street.
For the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews with seven open-ended questions were conducted as free conversations, including questions such as: What distinguishes Si Tir Street from other streets in Tehran? What is your opinion about the paving project and its conversion into Tehran’s street food street? What changes have occurred after the project, and were they mostly positive or negative? Which groups benefited most or suffered most from the project? Who do you consider as disturbing or undesirable actors in this space? The interview questions were derived from the theoretical literature on stakeholder conflicts. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached, resulting in 30 short interviews. Data were analyzed using open and axial coding techniques.
A fundamental principle of conflict management is analyzing how conflicting groups perceive and accept conflicts [Coleman et al., 2014]. Thus, it is essential to examine how stakeholders assess the importance of existing conflicts and how they value them differently. This analysis, through prioritization of conflicts, plays a key role in conflict resolution. Based on the integration and summarization of categories obtained from interviews, a 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire with five dimensions, access and mobility, economic vitality, environmental quality, crime and social harm, and service quality, and 25 items was developed. Content validity was confirmed by five urban planning experts using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) method, and reliability was assessed via Cronbach’s alpha, which yielded a value of 0.75, indicating acceptable reliability (dimension reliabilities ranged from 0.69 to 0.75).
According to methodological guidelines, a sample size above 30 allows generalizability [Creswell, 2013]; therefore, 190 participants were selected. Data were analyzed using mean comparison and analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS 21.
Findings
Five groups were identified as the main stakeholders of Si Tir Street:
Analysis indicated that the municipality and stallholders were the primary creators of conflicts. The stakeholder interaction pattern revealed a bipolar structure: the municipality and stallholders on one side, and residents, old shopkeepers, and other stakeholders on the other.
Perceived conflicts by component showed significant differences across groups for all components: access and mobility, economic vitality, environmental quality, social crimes and harms, service quality, and overall conflicts.
Discussion
The results of this study can be discussed around the two research questions: first, what conflicts exist among the stakeholders in the urban regeneration of Si Tir Street, and second, how do stakeholders perceive and evaluate these conflicts?
Regarding the first question, the findings show that conflicts occur among the five main stakeholder groups and the municipality as an external stakeholder. A total of 64 conflicts were identified, which can be categorized into five main components: Access and mobility, economic vitality, environmental quality, social crimes and harms, and service quality. The majority of conflicts were interest-based, followed by behavioral conflicts. Among the project stakeholders, stallholders and visitors, both external to the neighborhood, benefited the most from the street’s redevelopment, whereas residents and long-standing shopkeepers, who have lived and worked in the area for years, expressed concern and dissatisfaction with the changes. The municipality, as an external stakeholder, secured both economic gains through renting food stalls and social recognition by demonstrating responsibility toward urban development. However, these gains were achieved at the expense of other local stakeholders, imposing significant economic and environmental costs on residents and old business owners.
Overall, stakeholder conflicts in urban redevelopment projects are shaped by multiple factors, some of which have been discussed in previous research. For example, Stryjakiewicz et al. (2018, 2020) have identified stakeholder multiplicity as a source of conflict, while Vandenbussche (2018) emphasizes that severe conflicts, even between just two key stakeholders, can seriously disrupt regeneration processes. Limited participation and monopolistic allocation of resources also exacerbate conflicts. Erfani and Roe (2020) have found that when scarce resources are allocated among a few key stakeholders, conflicts become increasingly complex. In the case of Si Tir Street, the food stalls represent limited resources controlled by the municipality and allocated preferentially to influential individuals connected directly or indirectly to the municipal administration.
Moreover, previous studies indicate that the degree of public participation in urban projects, influenced by the governance system of each country, affects the intensity of conflicts. For instance, Zhuang et al. (2019) have shown that in a centralized governmental system, large private stakeholders are engaged instead of the public to minimize project risks, but conflicts emerge once the project is operational. Mottaghi et al. (2020) also have identified authoritarian planning, avoidance of public participation, and unrealistic protective measures as key drivers of stakeholder conflicts in the Sanglaj neighborhood redevelopment project.
In Si Tir Street, conflict drivers mainly relate to unilateral municipal actions and the collaboration of stallholders with this authority. Lack of public participation in the project’s preparation and implementation, as well as failure to consult residents and shopkeepers, was a central source of conflict. This was compounded by interventions in the street fabric alongside the allocation of limited resources (stalls). Had the municipality engaged residents and business owners from the beginning and allowed them some control over stall allocation, many issues, such as parking shortages, traffic congestion, and environmental degradation could have been mitigated collaboratively. Additionally, the interests of organizational stakeholders were largely overlooked. These findings align with Sarkheili et al. (2016), who have emphasized that urban redevelopment must consider economic, physical, and especially social conditions of local residents to succeed.
Regarding the second research question, how stakeholders perceive and accept conflicts the results show that the bipolar division (municipality and stallholders on one side; residents and shopkeepers on the other) hinders mutual understanding and acceptance. Many issues remain unaddressed through dialogue, and no public meeting has been convened to resolve conflicts among stakeholders. Global experiences indicate that conflicts start as simple issues and gradually escalate into complex forms (Kleniewski & Thomas, 2019; Spiess & Felding, 2008). Therefore, defining conflict-prevention mechanisms from the outset accelerates interaction and collaboration among stakeholders. In Si Tir Street, the project commenced without any conflict-prevention mechanism, highlighting the necessity of integrating stakeholder conflict-resolution strategies as part of urban redevelopment planning and implementation.
Conclusion
The Si Tir Street project represents a form of gentrification of public space aimed primarily at urban tourism, without concern for preserving the cultural authenticity and historical identity of the area. The project prioritizes the interests of tourists and citizens seeking leisure and recreational activities, while the original identity and heritage of the street have been largely neglected.
Acknowledgments: Not reported by the authors.
Ethical Approval: Not reported by the authors.
Conflict of Interest: Not reported by the authors.
Author Contributions: Gheisari H (first author), Principal Researcher/Introduction Writer (50%); Modiri A (second author), Methodologist/Discussion Writer (25%); Kalantari Khalilabad H (third author), Assistant Researcher /Statistical Analyst (25%)
Funding: This article is part of the first author’s doctoral dissertation, supervised by the second author and advised by the third author at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Central Branch, and was conducted with the authors’ personal funding.
In recent years, urban regeneration has been introduced as one of the most effective processes for urban redevelopment [Roberts et al., 2017]. Essentially, regeneration is an interventionist activity [Leary & McCarthy, 2013]. This approach has been welcomed by urban planners due to its characteristics, such as a comprehensive perspective on inefficient urban fabrics [Roberts & Sykes, 2008], attention to the social dimensions of interventions [Lochrie, 2016], the creation of gradual yet sustainable changes within target areas [Tallon, 2013], and the empowerment of residents in addressing local problems and challenges [Bahadorinejad & Zaker Haghighi, 2016].
However, despite its general acceptance, multiple studies have shown that applying urban regeneration as a planning process through redevelopment projects faces fundamental obstacles [Kalantari Khalilabad et al., 2014; Landorf, 2011]. A review of experiences within Iran indicates that one major barrier to regeneration projects is their failure to “resolve stakeholder conflicts,” which either leads to project failure or delays their implementation by several years [Mottaghi et al., 2020; Ghaderi et al., 2019; Ariana et al., 2020; Abachi et al., 2018]. Examples include the Navab Street project, the Siros neighborhood regeneration project, and the Niloufar Boulevard project in Tehran. Similarly, other urban development projects, such as Imam Ali Highway, Velayat Park, Book Garden, Sadr Expressway, and Amir Kabir Tunnel, have required 5 to 10 years for completion. Accordingly, the failure to resolve stakeholder conflicts in a timely manner leads to irreparable consequences, some of which have been documented in prior research. For instance, Haghighat Naeini et al. [2022] have highlighted increased hostility and conflict among residents surrounding projects, as well as elevated stress and anxiety levels. Abachi et al. [2018] have examined stakeholder displacement from the regeneration process, while Rastgar Hosseini [2016] addresses forced relocation of residents. Sarkheili et al. [2016] have considered the emergence of rent-seeking and real estate speculation.
Thus, one critical factor influencing the success of urban regeneration projects is the interaction among stakeholders with diverse interests in project activities and outcomes [Bahadorestani et al., 2020]. This interaction is important for two reasons: first, it ensures the “timely execution of projects,” and second, it guarantees the “success of projects post-implementation” [Eyiah-Botwe et al., 2016; Lam et al., 2011]. This has led to the concept of conflict management, which allows for the identification of relationships among actors and power holders [Yu et al., 2019] and enables the use of stakeholders’ knowledge and ideas to design and implement projects, providing solutions that enhance the sustainability and vitality of the intended location [Soma et al., 2018]. The importance of this issue is particularly pronounced in projects with social or commercial characteristics.
Si Tir Street, one of Tehran’s historic streets, underwent an urban regeneration project in 2016. During this project, the street was paved, and a hybrid traffic model, pedestrian-oriented with low-speed vehicle access, was introduced, creating a semi-pedestrianized environment and a more vibrant social space. Food and refreshment kiosks were established along the southern section, gradually transforming Si Tir Street into Tehran’s renowned food street, a function it maintains to this day. The objectives of this project indicated that, regardless of its specific designation, it aligns with the principles and goals of urban regeneration, as it seeks to assign a new function to the street while preserving its original characteristics, a fundamental principle of any regeneration program [Tallon, 2013]. Therefore, this study focuses on Si Tir Street as a case of urban regeneration.
The first concept addressed in this study is conflict. Conflict arises when two or more values, goals, or beliefs are inherently contradictory and no agreement has yet been reached [Sarkheili et al., 2016]. In urban projects, conflict refers to any disagreement or incompatibility among individuals or groups with different objectives and interests regarding living, working, or utilizing the project area. Conflicts in urban projects generally emerge due to competing demands for limited resources (e.g., land use), unequal distribution of costs and benefits resulting from development, and environmental consequences of land-use changes [Sarkheili et al., 2016].
Generally, conflicts can be classified into four types [Ariana et al., 2020]:
- Cognitive conflicts, arising from different evaluations or interpretations of the same fundamental elements by various groups. Insufficient information or unclear facts about the accuracy of a situation or phenomenon can trigger such conflicts.
- Goal or interest conflicts, which occur when the negative consequences of certain objectives, the provision of capital for external costs, or allocation of limited resources create disagreements.
- Normative (emotional) conflicts, resulting from divergences in values, behaviors, and norms that should prevail in effective social interactions. These conflicts often stem from non-negotiable ethical or moral principles, and the best approach is to reframe the issue as a conflict of interests.
- Behavioral (relationship) conflicts, associated with the personality traits or behaviors of stakeholder representatives, which can typically be resolved through negotiation or, when escalated, via third-party mediation.
Based on this, the stakeholder analysis technique has emerged. Its application is intended to identify and assess the importance of key individuals, groups, and institutions that may significantly influence the success of organizational activities or projects [Toukola & Ahola, 2022; Lochrie, 2016]. This analytical method allows for the comparison of different stakeholders’ perspectives on a single issue, a comparison that is central to the present study. Conceptually, this study examines stakeholder conflicts within the currently built environment. That is, it focuses on the stage where an urban space, post-regeneration, is being utilized by various individuals and organizations, each with differing goals and expectations. Conflict is thus examined from the perspective of “how each actor uses the existing space.”
Accordingly, the aim of this research is to identify existing conflicts among stakeholders of Si Tir Street and to analyze how these conflicts are perceived and valued by the stakeholders themselves.
Methodology
This study employed a survey design with a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach [Creswell, 2013; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2010] in 2022, targeting five groups of stakeholders and actors associated with Si Tir Street in Tehran. Twenty participants were selected for the qualitative component using purposive sampling, while 190 participants were included in the quantitative component using convenience sampling.
Si Tir Street is one of Tehran’s oldest streets and part of its historic structure. Previously known as Ghavam-ol-Saltaneh Street, it was renamed following the historical event of 30 Tir 1331, when people protested against Ghavam-ol-Saltaneh. Si Tir Street begins at Imam Khomeini Street in the south and ends at the intersection of Jomhouri and Mirza Kuchak Khan streets in the north. Located in District 12 of Tehran, the street has long been a tourism hub, featuring diverse historical buildings such as a mosque, church, synagogue, Abgineh Museum, Science Museum, National Museum, Zoroastrian Fire Temple, and proximity to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The paving project of Si Tir Street aimed to calm vehicular traffic and pursue two goals: revitalizing Tehran nights and promoting entrepreneurship. In late 2016, District 12 Municipality allowed kiosks and cafes at the intersection of Si Tir and Imam Khomeini streets to utilize the newly paved street.
For the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews with seven open-ended questions were conducted as free conversations, including questions such as: What distinguishes Si Tir Street from other streets in Tehran? What is your opinion about the paving project and its conversion into Tehran’s street food street? What changes have occurred after the project, and were they mostly positive or negative? Which groups benefited most or suffered most from the project? Who do you consider as disturbing or undesirable actors in this space? The interview questions were derived from the theoretical literature on stakeholder conflicts. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached, resulting in 30 short interviews. Data were analyzed using open and axial coding techniques.
A fundamental principle of conflict management is analyzing how conflicting groups perceive and accept conflicts [Coleman et al., 2014]. Thus, it is essential to examine how stakeholders assess the importance of existing conflicts and how they value them differently. This analysis, through prioritization of conflicts, plays a key role in conflict resolution. Based on the integration and summarization of categories obtained from interviews, a 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire with five dimensions, access and mobility, economic vitality, environmental quality, crime and social harm, and service quality, and 25 items was developed. Content validity was confirmed by five urban planning experts using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) method, and reliability was assessed via Cronbach’s alpha, which yielded a value of 0.75, indicating acceptable reliability (dimension reliabilities ranged from 0.69 to 0.75).
According to methodological guidelines, a sample size above 30 allows generalizability [Creswell, 2013]; therefore, 190 participants were selected. Data were analyzed using mean comparison and analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS 21.
Findings
Five groups were identified as the main stakeholders of Si Tir Street:
- Residents: People living near the street, whose daily life and well-being may be affected by the street’s conditions.
- Old business owners and shopkeepers: Those who had prosperous businesses before the pedestrianization project but have largely lost economic vitality due to the street’s new function.
- Stallholders: Currently very influential stakeholders in the street space. They are divided into two subgroups—fixed stallholders and mobile vendors—who compete directly with each other and indirectly with the old shopkeepers for economic benefits.
- Pedestrians and visitors: Users whose presence and spending sustain the street’s economic and social vitality.
- Organizational stakeholders: Institutions with property or administrative influence along the street, including museums, embassies, schools, and other organizations that require protection of their premises.
Analysis indicated that the municipality and stallholders were the primary creators of conflicts. The stakeholder interaction pattern revealed a bipolar structure: the municipality and stallholders on one side, and residents, old shopkeepers, and other stakeholders on the other.
Perceived conflicts by component showed significant differences across groups for all components: access and mobility, economic vitality, environmental quality, social crimes and harms, service quality, and overall conflicts.
- Access and mobility: Except for stallholders, all groups agreed that pedestrianization led to traffic congestion and overcrowding, resulting in parking shortages, reduced accessibility, and conflicts among residents and other users.
- Economic vitality: Residents, old shopkeepers, and organizational stakeholders agreed that the expansion of food stalls in the southern part of the street reduced economic performance in the northern section. Stallholders disagreed, arguing that the street was commercially weak initially, and the stalls enhanced economic activity. Visitors mostly aligned with the first three groups except regarding changes in land use, declining sales of old shops, and the presence of street vendors.
- Environmental quality: All five groups recognized negative environmental impacts, with the highest concern being the risk of fire or explosion due to gas cylinders and vehicle traffic, affecting residents, businesses, visitors, and especially historical sites.
- Social crimes and harms: Most stakeholders reported that street food activities increased social risks, including conflicts over parking, petty theft, and occasional harassment. Stallholders minimized the role of the stalls in these issues, attributing them to general urban density.
- Service quality: Stallholders rated service quality positively and attributed shortcomings to high rental costs and municipal inefficiencies. Visitors partially agreed, whereas residents, old shopkeepers, and organizational stakeholders expressed higher dissatisfaction.
Discussion
The results of this study can be discussed around the two research questions: first, what conflicts exist among the stakeholders in the urban regeneration of Si Tir Street, and second, how do stakeholders perceive and evaluate these conflicts?
Regarding the first question, the findings show that conflicts occur among the five main stakeholder groups and the municipality as an external stakeholder. A total of 64 conflicts were identified, which can be categorized into five main components: Access and mobility, economic vitality, environmental quality, social crimes and harms, and service quality. The majority of conflicts were interest-based, followed by behavioral conflicts. Among the project stakeholders, stallholders and visitors, both external to the neighborhood, benefited the most from the street’s redevelopment, whereas residents and long-standing shopkeepers, who have lived and worked in the area for years, expressed concern and dissatisfaction with the changes. The municipality, as an external stakeholder, secured both economic gains through renting food stalls and social recognition by demonstrating responsibility toward urban development. However, these gains were achieved at the expense of other local stakeholders, imposing significant economic and environmental costs on residents and old business owners.
Overall, stakeholder conflicts in urban redevelopment projects are shaped by multiple factors, some of which have been discussed in previous research. For example, Stryjakiewicz et al. (2018, 2020) have identified stakeholder multiplicity as a source of conflict, while Vandenbussche (2018) emphasizes that severe conflicts, even between just two key stakeholders, can seriously disrupt regeneration processes. Limited participation and monopolistic allocation of resources also exacerbate conflicts. Erfani and Roe (2020) have found that when scarce resources are allocated among a few key stakeholders, conflicts become increasingly complex. In the case of Si Tir Street, the food stalls represent limited resources controlled by the municipality and allocated preferentially to influential individuals connected directly or indirectly to the municipal administration.
Moreover, previous studies indicate that the degree of public participation in urban projects, influenced by the governance system of each country, affects the intensity of conflicts. For instance, Zhuang et al. (2019) have shown that in a centralized governmental system, large private stakeholders are engaged instead of the public to minimize project risks, but conflicts emerge once the project is operational. Mottaghi et al. (2020) also have identified authoritarian planning, avoidance of public participation, and unrealistic protective measures as key drivers of stakeholder conflicts in the Sanglaj neighborhood redevelopment project.
In Si Tir Street, conflict drivers mainly relate to unilateral municipal actions and the collaboration of stallholders with this authority. Lack of public participation in the project’s preparation and implementation, as well as failure to consult residents and shopkeepers, was a central source of conflict. This was compounded by interventions in the street fabric alongside the allocation of limited resources (stalls). Had the municipality engaged residents and business owners from the beginning and allowed them some control over stall allocation, many issues, such as parking shortages, traffic congestion, and environmental degradation could have been mitigated collaboratively. Additionally, the interests of organizational stakeholders were largely overlooked. These findings align with Sarkheili et al. (2016), who have emphasized that urban redevelopment must consider economic, physical, and especially social conditions of local residents to succeed.
Regarding the second research question, how stakeholders perceive and accept conflicts the results show that the bipolar division (municipality and stallholders on one side; residents and shopkeepers on the other) hinders mutual understanding and acceptance. Many issues remain unaddressed through dialogue, and no public meeting has been convened to resolve conflicts among stakeholders. Global experiences indicate that conflicts start as simple issues and gradually escalate into complex forms (Kleniewski & Thomas, 2019; Spiess & Felding, 2008). Therefore, defining conflict-prevention mechanisms from the outset accelerates interaction and collaboration among stakeholders. In Si Tir Street, the project commenced without any conflict-prevention mechanism, highlighting the necessity of integrating stakeholder conflict-resolution strategies as part of urban redevelopment planning and implementation.
Conclusion
The Si Tir Street project represents a form of gentrification of public space aimed primarily at urban tourism, without concern for preserving the cultural authenticity and historical identity of the area. The project prioritizes the interests of tourists and citizens seeking leisure and recreational activities, while the original identity and heritage of the street have been largely neglected.
Acknowledgments: Not reported by the authors.
Ethical Approval: Not reported by the authors.
Conflict of Interest: Not reported by the authors.
Author Contributions: Gheisari H (first author), Principal Researcher/Introduction Writer (50%); Modiri A (second author), Methodologist/Discussion Writer (25%); Kalantari Khalilabad H (third author), Assistant Researcher /Statistical Analyst (25%)
Funding: This article is part of the first author’s doctoral dissertation, supervised by the second author and advised by the third author at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Central Branch, and was conducted with the authors’ personal funding.
Keywords:
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