Abstract
Urban sprawl related to rapid urbanisation in developed and developing nations affects sustainable land use. In Sri Lanka, urban areas have mostly expanded in a rather spontaneous, unplanned manner (based on the current settlers’ subjective movement) rather than conforming to the local government’s development plan. This growth inevitably leads to uncontrolled urban sprawl in many Sri Lankan cities, including Batticaloa. So far, Sri Lanka’s planners or researchers have not yet tackled the sprawling developments in this city. Understanding the different forms and patterns of urban sprawl is the key to address sprawling growth. This study aims to identify the characteristics of urban sprawl in the Batticaloa municipal council using Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing technology. Landsat satellite images for the years 2000, 2010, and 2020 as well as 2002, 2011, and 2019 population data were used and analysed using ArcGIS’ maximum likelihood classification tool and the density function, respectively, to delineate the characteristics of urban sprawl. The results revealed that low-density development, leapfrog development, commercial ribbon development, and scattered growth are the influencing characteristics of urban sprawl in the Batticaloa municipality. These characteristics were found mainly in the urban edge of the city and have led to urban sprawl. The finding provides knowledge into recognising the characteristics of urban sprawl with empirical evidence. It affords a clear direction for future studies of urban sprawl in rapidly growing cities that are numerous in Sri Lanka, and the identified characteristics of urban sprawl can be useful in minimising future sprawl. This result can be a tool for future urban planning and management in the Batticaloa municipality.
Highlights
Urbanisation is a reflection of the human activities affecting the land that has been threatened by the enormous pressure from population growth [1]
Urban sprawl is a socioeconomic phenomenon that has gradually become a critical issue in many urban areas [11], including Sri Lankan cities
The built-up spatial patterns identified the characteristics of the urban sprawl in the Batticaloa Municipal Council
Summary
Urbanisation is a reflection of the human activities affecting the land that has been threatened by the enormous pressure from population growth [1]. According to the United Nations’ world population prospects in 2019, there will be an increase in the 30 years of two billion people, from the current world population of 7.7 billion to 9.7 billion in 2050 This increase will grow to almost 400 cities in the early 21st century, which includes around 70% in developing countries [3], including Sri Lanka. The urban population of Sri Lanka is almost 25% of the total population, which is expected to increase by 65% by 2030, which will cause cities to grow physically and numerically, creating urban sprawl issues in the future [4]. Most arguments for urban sprawl are not based on strong empirical evidence but rather on speculation and assumptions [10] Many researchers explain this concept with the urban environment of the research area. Vacant lands, which are primarily transformed into housing on a daily basis, are increasing sprawling growth and property costs in the urban periphery and surrounding areas
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