Stakeholders’ Expectations in Port Regeneration Planning in China: A Systematic Review and Comparative Study

Stakeholder participation is crucial for the success and long-term viability of port regeneration. It facilitates a collaborative planning that incorporates a wide range of values, expectations, and concerns to achieve consensus. However, the inherent division of labor and diverse experiences among stakeholders often result in differing and sometimes conflicting expectations, which can lead to conflicts. If these conflicts are not appropriately identified and managed, they can undermine the projects’ positive intentions and exacerbate social issues. In the realm of port planning, prior research on stakeholder expectations has been scattered and mainly reflects academic and governmental perspectives, paying insufficient attention to the views of social entities. In response to these challenges, this study employs a systematic review to comprehensively examine stakeholders’ expectations in port planning. Taking Wuhan, a representative port city in China, as a case study, this research compares the expectations of six main stakeholder groups in port regeneration: the government, planners, developers, citizens, academics, and environmental organizations. Suggestions are tailored to each group, aiming to align their expectations with the sustainable planning and renewal strategy for port regeneration.