Decentralized planning and uneven implementation of universal design in Lithuania

Abstract

European planning systems increasingly endorse accessibility, inclusion, and Universal Design (UD) as principles of equitable spatial development, yet implementation often remains uneven where responsibilities are decentralized without matching capacity, guidance, or monitoring infrastructure. This article examines how accessibility commitments are translated into local planning practice through the implementation of UD in Lithuania. Drawing on stakeholder interviews and a national survey of municipal representatives, it analyses how public actors interpret, operationalise, and monitor UD in planning and accessibility governance. The findings show that UD is widely recognized but often reduced to physical accessibility and technical compliance, while fragmented responsibilities, weak coordination, limited expertise, and inconsistent monitoring constrain implementation. The findings also indicate differentiated implementation capacity across municipal contexts, with some municipalities reporting greater constraints in expertise, access to support, and the institutionalisation of UD. The article contributes to European planning scholarship by framing UD implementation as a problem of uneven inclusive planning, arguing that inclusive planning commitments become substantive only when decentralized responsibilities are supported by clear frameworks, monitoring tools, capacity-building, and meaningful participation.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. European Planning Studies, 2026 · DOI ↗