The Challenges of Implementing Urban Plans in Iran

Five decades after the initiation of urban development plans in Iran, these plans still face various challenges to implement and succeed. Using a performance-based evaluation approach, this research seeks to identify the most important challenges for urban development plans in Iran. The methodology of this study is qualitative, with data collected using non-reactive (archival records), interview techniques and measures. To analyse the data and finalise theory, Grounded Theory method was used. Based on Qualitative Sampling, Typical Case Sampling and Theoretical Saturation criteria, the opinions of 30 urban planning experts have been used, and their perceptions about the success of urban plans were studied and analysed. Using Grounded Theory and coding the data, the final eight core categories extracted from the original findings. The core of this paper is to draw attention to the country’s local, social and economic contexts in participatory procedures of planning, which covers other major categories and reminds us of the importance of considering socio-economic context, institutionalising Iranian society, and making use of stake-holders’ participation.