PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR APPLICATION IN URBAN PLANNING IN SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

Urban planning can play a very important role in achieving sustainable growth and development by integrating ‗sustainable development principles‘ in urban planning strategies, policies, programs and projects. There are diverse conceptualization and understanding regarding sustainability, and there is still no single format of integrating the principles of sustainability into a cohesive and integrated urban planning methodology. Various agencies and institutions have articulated the concepts and principles of sustainability at various levels and with a variety of depth and details. Based on the literature review this paper studies the emergence of the concept of sustainability, its dimensions and under-pining, and how urban planning practitioners and institutions have attempted to integrate the basic principles into their practices. The objective is to examine to what extent the government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its development agencies have internalized the prevailing notion of sustainability and the principles that entail the concept, particularly how the principles are embedded in development Planning strategies and policies. This paper consists of introduction and three parts: After the introduction, the Part One presents a selective review of the emergence and spread of the concept of sustainability to integrate the substantive principles in the planning practice. It discusses the application of sustainability principles in relation to urban development and planning in general. Then it summarizes some guidelines and related action programs provided by leading professional institutions in urban planning. The literature review part concluded with sustainability assessment criteria. Part Two outlines the institutional developments and national policies and commitments in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in respect of sustainable development as stated in the 8th and 9th National Development Plans, National Spatial Strategy, and General Environmental Law. The review of Saudi experience concludes with an assessment summary showing to what extent sustainability principles have been incorporated in Saudi Arabian development planning strategies. Part Three concludes that Saudi Arabia has incorporated most of the major sustainable development principles extracted from the literature review. It highlights policies and programs for implementing the principles at regional and local levels by various urban development actors (the communities, public agencies, private firms and academia) and sectors such as housing, transportation and infrastructure, urban services, industrial and commercial land uses, etc. would go a long way in achieving sustainable urban development in Saudi Arabia. The paper is based primarily on the literature review and secondary data collected through a review of some previous studies, books, articles and local and international reports on the subject, including the basic terms and concepts as well as some important international experiences in sustainable development and urban planning.