                !!"# The Impact of Public Participation on Planning: The Case of the Derbyshire Structure Plan Rachelle Alterman, David Harris and Morris Hill One of the more difficult challenges posed by proponents of public participation is that participation has an actual effect on decision-making. This article addresses this question by means of a case study of a British structure plan. The impact of representations made at the draft plan stage on the final plan is measured and evaluated in terms of its relationship with four variables: type of participant; type of issue; type of comment made; and the changes made in the final plan in the light of each comment. The most striking finding is the relatively small proportion of comments having an effect. Yet some groups and types of comments tend to have a greater effect. The implications of these findings for public participation are discussed.