Urban Sprawl Research Articles

Quantifying the Cooling Effect of Urban Greening Driven by Ecological Restoration Projects in China.

Urban greening (UG) affects local climate by altering surface energy balance, while long-term UG cooling potential, patterns, and contribution to curbing urban warming remain unclear. Here, we designed an novel statistical model to evaluate the cooling potential of UG (CPUG) and created the first CPUG map for China. By exploring the trends in observed and simulated urban surface temperatures (UST), we quantified the CPUG of 0.20 K over the past two decades, which slowed down the warming trend by 14.17% in Chinese cities. We found that the CPUG varied significantly between the urban core and sprawl areas. Specifically, the CPUG in the urban core was approximately 1.01 K, and it contributed to curbing urban warming by 56.08%, which was more than 7.2 times higher than in the sprawl areas, where the CPUG was only 0.14 K and contributed to curbing urban warming by 9.93%. We further revealed that urbanization and major ecological restoration projects are the key factors influencing CPUG, emphasizing the need for anthropogenic vegetation management to curb urban warming. The proposed model in this study provides a powerful tool for quantitatively assessing the impact of long-term UG trends on urban warming. The results of the study are an important reference for building climate-adaptive cities.

Starting again: National spatial planning and the quest for compact growth in Ireland

In 2002, the Irish Government launched the National Spatial Strategy, aimed at achieving effective national spatial planning. A lack of political support and the primacy of localism in planning and development led to its demise in 2014. However, in 2018, the government launched the new National Planning Framework, which had compact growth at its core. It is supported politically by central government, is backed by legislation and must be adhered to by the regional and local layers of government. The National Planning Framework was accompanied by planning policies which sought to increase apartment development and to loosen restrictions on urban height, thereby creating the conditions for increasing residential densities. As the National Planning Framework sets out plans to 2040 and is subject to periodic revision, this article examines initial perceptions of its contents and the prospects for its implementation. Simultaneously, the ongoing housing crisis in Ireland impacts directly on planning policies, as the government introduces major market interventions to increase supply, which can conflict or undermine existing planning policies. This research is based on a critical reading of key compact growth planning policies and is augmented by semi-structured interviews with key players in policy implementation. These interviews analyse the viewpoints of senior built environment professionals who are involved in the implementation of compact growth policies in Dublin. The results indicate the complexity and difficulty of implementing compact growth policies where there has been a legacy of urban sprawl and where the attempts at centralisation lead to tensions with local planning. Starting again is not easy.

Diachronic and historical evolution of the Al-Hoceima Bay coastline, Moroccan Mediterranean Sea

Al-Hoceima Bay, located on the northern coast of Morocco, holds significant environmental importance. It also faces environmental challenges, including the pressures resulting from urban sprawl and growing number of tourists, as well as the impacts of climate change. The objective of this study is to assess the coastal changes in Al- Hoceima Bay since 1964, considering both natural and human factors. This study is based on the diachronic analysis of aerial photographs taken over a period of 56 years, utilising the digital shoreline analysis system statistical technique to calculate the shoreline’s mobility index for each period. The results demonstrate significant erosion at the Tayth beach (−1.50 m∙y−1) and Souani beach (approximately −1.90 m∙y−1), whereas accretion was experienced at the Sfiha beach at a rate of about +1.11 m∙y−1 and at the Lharch beach at a rate of +0.92 m∙y−1. The mouth of the Nekôr River experienced the highest retreat at −3.15 m∙y−1, followed by Ghiss at −2.00 m∙y−1. These findings indicate the impact of human interventions, such as the construction of the Mohamed Ben Abdelkarim El Khattabi dam on Oued Nekôr since 1981, as well as climate changes that have led to decreased flow, particularly at Oued Ghiss. These combined climatic and anthropogenic impacts have exacerbated erosion and disrupted the sediment balance along the shoreline of Al-Hoceima Bay.

A sintaxe espacial como ferramenta de análise de ocupação urbana

The lack of planning and effective housing policies has encouraged the search for housing in informal settlements, generally located on the outskirts of cities and segregated by urban sprawl. Space syntax is an important tool for analyzing urban configuration, allowing us to understand the geographical space as a whole, with its limitations and potential, capable of understanding the levels of integration and segregation, improving its flow and connectivity possible. This article analyzes connectivity and integration, using the spatial syntax of vulnerable occupation areas in the city of Erechim/RS (southern Brazil). This study was divided into five stages: a) bibliographical research; b) identification of the areas of occupation in Erechim; c) preparation of an axial map of the city; d) axial analysis using the Detphtamp 0.50 software and, finally; e) cross-referencing the information using the Qgis software. We identified the presence of occupations in green areas, mostly on the outskirts of the city, segregated to the other regions of the city, with a general average integration of 1.514 pixels, where the areas with the best economic value (between 1,720.01 and 5,231.01 reais) have the best connectivity.

Urban Growth and Land Artificialization in Secondary African Cities: A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Ho (Ghana) and Kpalimé (Togo)

While many studies have used Earth observations to quantify urbanization in Africa, there is still a lack of empirical evidence on the role of secondary cities in the fastest urbanizing region in the world. Moreover, the diversity of urbanization processes in Africa, which can be more or less compact in terms of land consumption, remains insufficiently acknowledged and under-documented. This empirical study employed mixed methods to address these research gaps. We analyzed and compared the spatiotemporal dynamics of two secondary African cities, Ho (Ghana) and Kpalimé (Togo), between 1985 and 2020. We compared their spatial growth (the rate of urbanization of land) with their respective population growth rates using Landsat TM and ETM+ imagery, and population data. To understand the factors behind eventual differences between the spatial patterns of urbanization of the two cities, our quantitative analysis based on remote sensing was confronted with qualitative data from individual interviews with key stakeholders. Our results showed two distinct urbanization trajectories between 1985 and 2010, with Ho following a more compact pattern than Kpalimé. Since 2010, however, both cities have tended towards urban sprawl, with an urbanization rate greater than the population growth rate. According to the interviews, the main determinants of urban sprawl in these two secondary cities were the absence of housing policies for low-income groups, the absence or inefficacy of urban master plans, the preponderance of single-family housing, and land speculation.

URBAN SATURATION IN ALGERIAN CITIES: FACTORS AND TREATMENT METHODS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF URBAN SUSTAINABILITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE CITY OF TÉBESSA

Throughout history, cities have undergone transformations due to social, urban, environmental, and economic changes, which have contributed to altering their shape, and growth patterns. This evolution has led to continuous urban expansion in response to the increasing needs of the population, resulting in boundless urban sprawl. The constant effort to provide urban services has driven the integration of new land areas within the framework of urban expansion, often at the expense of the surrounding rural areas, which serve as the city's main life source. These rural areas are the primary base for urban expansion and simultaneously the main supplier of labor and raw materials. Currently, urban expansion in Algerian cities, in general, and in Tebessa in particular, poses challenges in urban development and planning. This situation calls for exploring alternative approaches when natural or human barriers prevent the optimal use of urban land in alignment with the city’s needs, leading to urban saturation. These approaches should consider the principles of sustainable urban development and rely on tools focused on protecting natural resources within and around the city, as cities are not only the main threat to the natural environment but also the first victims of its degradation.

Four-walled or fourfold? Assessing if the gated community is an antidote to cities or a macrocosm of deprived houses

ABSTRACT This cross-sectional study evaluates the effectiveness of established and emerging city typologies, comparing whether the gated city functions as a four-walled microcosm of the deprived concrete house or serves as an antidote to urban sprawl. The fourfold model is grounded in evidence-based theories on residential greenness and urban health, resulting in four variables: greenness, sky views, social enrichment, and personal boundaries. Against the backdrop of the Greater Cairo Region, where urban evolution unfolded over two decades, leading to the emergence of gated cities, adult participants completed surveys representing pre- and post-decades. This shift in the residential landscape towards independent and gated communities allows for an assessment of well-being across city/community types and house typologies, comparing the efficacy of gated cities in relation to macro and micro typologies with the four variables. The results reveal intriguing patterns and pitfalls of gated communities, contributing to the ongoing discourse on creating inclusive and fulfilling residential environments. The study underscores the importance of examining interactive experiences within the macro-scale environment and calls for future research to extend beyond the blueprint, engaging residents with the four variables through urban and architectural designs, rather than closing doors and expecting an experience that enhances their well-being.

A blue–green ratio of urban wetlands as an ecosystem health indicator: the case of urban sprawl in Nagpur, India

ABSTRACT Rampant urban sprawl has affected the structure and function of existing urban green and blue spaces, exposing developing cities to unexpected disaster events. Drawing on a mixture of secondary information supported by GIS and field-based studies, we assessed the impact of growing impervious surfaces on the dynamic zones of urban wetlands in Nagpur, India. We compared decadal data (2000-2020) to understand the pattern of wetland loss and its drivers in the region. Our findings reveal a significant loss of wetland structure and area over the past two decades, raising alarming concerns regarding ecological and economic repercussions. To address these issues, we propose a blue–green buffer-based assessment approach that incorporates local knowledge and observations along with proactive monitoring of ecosystem health. Our study highlights the urgency of reducing the spatial complexity of landscape patches, restoring wetland buffers, declaring wetland buffers as no-go zones, and promoting corridor connectivity to urban wetlands to improve urban blue infrastructure health. Multi-sectoral and stakeholder cooperation, involvement, and strict enforcement of the Wetland Rules (2017) by local governing bodies can help build urban resilience by protecting urban blue–green infrastructure.

Local Community Participation Seasonal Flood Disaster in Sidoarjo Regency, East Java

Irrigation in Sidoarjo Regency Drainage System Complex area of carrier channels to irrigation of the drainage (AFVOUR) in the display of water level regulators. High water surface in the channel causes slow flow of rain water catchment to a puddle. Conditions are exacerbated by backwater in the river channel in the area near the coast when the tide, causing floods to not be directly receding. Synergy has a combination of integration of various elements (for example, stakeholders) optimizing something better, legitimacy is considered to equalize perception hoping that actions are carried out in the desired action entity, appropriate according to value norms. Case Study Case data applies certain cases are generalized. Case study data is possible to be used to explore, examine comprehensiveness of a research object. Analysis of data using atlas, The weakness of the government's supervisor handles industrial waste into the River Peraul in Sidoarjo Regency, Urban Sprawl Social Impact Urbanization in big cities, controlling urbanization Increases development using the approach to touch the needs of the community needed Village, equity, spread of village remote development, the level of participation and understanding of the community provides feedback related to the concept of handling routine flood disasters every year. Seasonal flood disaster control in Sidoarjo Regency by involving local communities is an important approach by direct supervision by local communities, counseling on good water management practices, emergency response training, community based infrastructure development, coordinating between the government, local communities, form of concrete participation Local community in Sidoarjo Regency.

Addressing Urban Sprawl: is Densification the Solution? A Case Study of Sétif, Algeria

Objectives: The rapid and uncontrolled urban growth in Sétif, northeastern Algeria, has resulted in horizontal densification, continual expansion, and the conversion of agricultural land into urban areas. This transformation highlights the need for effective territorial strategies to manage urban growth sustainably. The primary objective of this study is to promote urban densification through concepts like "inward urbanisation" and "building the city within the city," aiming to optimise land use and counter the negative impacts of urban sprawl. Methods: To address the challenges of urban sprawl and its environmental impacts, the study employs a morphological approach. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is utilised in conjunction with data from the General Census of Population and Housing (RGPH) to analyse spatiotemporal changes in Sétif. This methodological approach enables a detailed examination of the city's morphological and demographic evolution, providing insights into patterns of urban expansion and densification. Results: The findings reveal various strategies for urban development in Sétif, focusing on alternatives to traditional urban density and sprawl. The study identifies and suggests the implementation of new, dense, and hybrid urban forms that align with sustainable development goals. These urban forms are designed to enhance the city’s livability while respecting societal needs and environmental considerations. The strategies proposed address the necessity for adaptable urban designs that support a more compact, resource-efficient city model. Conclusion: This research underscores the importance of rethinking urban planning strategies to manage rapid urbanisation in Sétif. The proposed strategies are essential for transforming Sétif into a dense, sustainable, and appealing urban environment. The study advocates for a shift from expansive urban growth to a densification model that promotes sustainability and aligns with the evolving expectations of the city’s residents.

Evolving road networks and urban landscape transformation in the Himalayan foothills, India.

The amalgamation of Himalayan and Indo-Burmese biodiversity has made the state of Manipur, India, a unique ecosystem. In addition, the region is a strategic place for the country to establish an economic corridor to Southeast Asia. In recent times, the region has witnessed tremendous infrastructural/road development. Subsequently, forest fragmentation related to urbanization and road expansion has emerged in the Himalayan foothills. The development of roads brought rapid changes in land use and land cover (LULC) and thus subsequent environmental degradation. The current study attempts to understand how the development of road networks has impacted the natural cover in Manipur, India. A spatio-temporal analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the development of road networks and LULC changes using the Landsat satellite images over a decade (2012-2022). The results showed significant changes in the area coverage of LULC categories such as agricultural land, built-up areas, forest, and water bodies with the increase in road density. To have a holistic view, the study area was segregated into three functional zones based on their urban land use pattern, i.e., urban center, peri-urban, and urban peripheral fringes. Urban sprawl in the urban center has led to the rapid conversion of forested lands into built-up areas and agricultural lands in the peri-urban and urban peripheral fringes, respectively. The decline of forest areas to urbanization in peri-urban and urban peripheral fringes calls for conservation and restoration initiatives. The study also emphasizes how different stakeholders can be involved and empowered to strengthen public-private partnerships for conservation and restoration in such sensitive ecosystems. Urban planners and developers should be critical in making informed decisions through understanding ecological concerns in tandem with infrastructural development.

Forest fates: Unraveling the peri-urban social-ecological trajectories in Mexico City's conservation land.

Peri-urban areas provide multiple ecosystem services, but face critical challenges, including deforestation, unplanned urban sprawl, and environmental pollution and degradation. To address these issues, environmental public policy instruments have been implemented. This paper aims to investigate the social ecological trajectories of a peri-urban area of Mexico City and the role of environmental public policy instruments in addressing land use change. Focusing on four watersheds of the southern periphery of the city, we analyze land use change drivers through neural networks and Markov chains, and we develop two land use scenarios for the next 20years: one characterized by business as usual and another with a more restrictive land use regime. Our findings show that infrastructure drivers are the most critical factor overall, when combined with the historical social ecological trajectory of the study area. The impact of environmental public policy instruments on future trajectories demonstrates their potential to decrease deforestation. The results provide insights for the integrated territorial planning of peri-urban areas with similar social ecological dynamics and developing context.

Grow or die! Land-use strategy mismatch in the ‘post-political’ metropolitan planning era

Metropolitan spaces are perceived as spatiotemporally dynamic entities where traditional settlement patterns transform into heterogeneous post-suburban forms, integrating complex networks of social and economic relationships. Inadequate coordination in local spatial planning is commonly seen as a crucial factor contributing to landscape fragmentation and persistent urban sprawl. The current ‘post-political’ era of metropolitan planning supposedly offers less formalized problem-solving approaches that are not burdened by institutionally fixed settings and excessive bureaucratic structures. However, it is not clear whether and how integrated metropolitan strategies emerging within the ‘soft spaces’ of governance can influence the local spatial strategies of individual municipalities and what spectrum of attitudes various stakeholders in the metropolitan area hold towards spatial and population growth. The main research question is: What differences in approaches to territorial and population development of settlements in the metropolitan area are observed from the perspective of various public administration actors? Using a case study of the Brno Metropolitan Area (Czech Republic) and employing quantitative spatial analysis of recent and planned population and spatial development, along with qualitative textual analysis of planning documentation rationale at various scales impacting the metropolitan area, this article elucidates the narratives typically underpinning pro-growth planning strategies. Additionally, it contextualizes the meanings attributed to the metropolitan dimension of development at the local level. The findings suggest a negligible impact of integrated metropolitan strategy on local land-use policies. Competitive mechanisms of municipal spatial planning contradicting metropolitan authority visions exacerbate the crisis of spatial identities and residential cannibalism. Population growth in the hinterland triggers narratives of inevitability, adaptation, smart growth, economic rationality, and population rejuvenation at the local planning level, culminating in land oversupply. The results provide urban policies with an explanatory framework for the diversity of attitudes towards spatial and land-use planning within the multi-scale metropolitan arena and argue for the introduction of more effective integrated metropolitan spatial planning tools.

Assessment of urban sprawl and its environmental impact

Assessment of urban sprawl and its environmental impact

Machine Learning and Remote Sensing Applications for Assessing Land Use and Land Cover Changes for Under-monitored Basin

Urban sprawling caused by industrial and economic growth has significantly affected land use and land cover (LULC). Using satellite imagery for real-time examination in Kuantan has become exceedingly expensive due to the scarcity and obsolescence of real-time LULC data. With the advent of remote sensing and geographical information systems, LULC change assessment is feasible. A quantitative assessment of image classification schemes (supervised classification using maximum likelihood and deep learning classification using random forest) was examined using 2022 Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to measure its performance. Kappa coefficient and overall accuracy were used to determine the classification accuracy. Then, 32 years of LULC changes in Kuantan were investigated using Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 based on the best classifier. Random forest classification outperformed maximum likelihood classification with an overall accuracy of 85% compared to 92.8%. The findings also revealed that urbanisation is the main factor contributing to land changes in Kuantan, with a 32% increase in the build-up region and 32% in forest degradation. Despite the subtle and extremely dynamic connection between ecosystems, resources, and settlement, these LULC changes can be depicted using satellite imagery. With the precision of using a suitable classification scheme based on comprehensive, accurate and precise LULC maps can be generated, capturing the essence of spatial dynamics, especially in under-monitored basins. This study provides an overview of the current situation of LULC changes in Kuantan, along with the driving factors that can help the authorities promote sustainable development goals.

Unraveling the spatio-temporal trajectories of urban growth in Asansol city, West Bengal: A geospatial exploration of the emerging urbanlandscape

The rapid urban growth of Asansol City has led to the rise of unplanned built-up areas, disrupting natural land covers and posing challenges to sustainable resource management. Hence, this study aims to quantify spatio-temporal trajectories of urban growth in Asansol City during 1991–2021, using integrated remote sensing and GIS-based techniques. Landsat 5 TM and 8 OLI/TIRS satellite imageries were used to delineate built-up and non-built-up areas using a random forest machine-learning algorithm. The study utilized the gradient approach, urban sprawl typologies, urban expansion indices, shannon’s entropy, and landscape fragmentation metrics to analyze the pattern, direction, intensity and dynamics of urban expansion in a space-time context. The findings showed that built-up growth increased significantly from 25.49 sq. km. to 57.18 sq. km. between 1991 and 2021, with the highest growth observed in the westward direction and within 3 km from the CBD. The study highlighted the prevalence of edge expansion and scatter development as dominant typologies of urban growth. Urban expansion indices, shannon's entropy and landscape fragmentation metrics analysis revealed the increasing urban sprawl towards the periphery and the formation of clustered built-up areas near the CBD. The outcomes of this study provide a basis for sustainable urban development by quantifying spatio-temporal trajectories and highlighting challenges from unrestrained growth of Asansol municipal corporation.

Transit-Oriented Development in Middle Eastern Cities: The Urban Renewal Framework for the Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar

Cities around the world are evolving dramatically due to urbanization. Over the last few decades, rapid urbanization coupled with rapid economic growth in Qatar has resulted in transport-related issues such as urban sprawl, traffic congestion, poor walkability, and an increasingly inefficient transit network lacking pedestrian accessibility and connectivity. The related sprawl (due to a lack of compactness), a lack of intricacy, and connectivity have challenged the built environment’s sustainability. The Souq Waqif neighborhood, renowned for its rich cultural heritage and historical significance, serves as the focal point of this study. Its central positioning and status as a prominent social nexus within Doha render it an ideal case study. Specifically, this research investigates the Souq Waqif metro station, evaluating it through the lens of five distinct design aspects: (1) walkability, (2) ground use balance, (3) mixed-use spaces and public spaces, (4) multi-modality and transportation hubs, and (5) public transportation network. To reach this aim, the study methodology uses a qualitative approach informed by the Integrated Modification Methodology (IMM). The IMM framework provides a means to transform underperforming neighborhoods like Souq Waqif, into more cohesive and sustainable communities by retrofitting, renovating, and reactivating the existing urban fabric. Site observations, interviews, and surveys were used to collect data to complement the analysis. Findings highlight the deficiencies in connectivity and multimodal transportation adjacent to the Souq Waqif metro station. In addition, the ability of metro stations to conserve crucial cultural legacy and social identity in rapidly urbanizing cities like Doha is explored. To this end, recommendations are given to increase the efficiency and sustainability of Souq Waqif and the like.

From urban heat islands to intra-urban heat islands: Role of urban fabric in redefining microclimates of tomorrow’s compact cities

A compact city is a urban area characterized by high density, mixed land use, and limited sprawl, designed to promote sustainable development, reduce urban sprawl, and enhance quality of life. This investigation focuses on the Intra Urban Heat Island (IUHI) effect, an intensified progression of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, specifically within a compact city transitioning from urban sprawl. The study employed advanced spatial analytics, which employed the concept of “space-time cube”, incorporating Getis Ord Gi*, and per pixel, Mann Kendall tests for the space–time pattern mining on a time series of high-resolution Remote Sensing data spanning from 1999 to 2023. The findings reveal distinctive spatial and temporal patterns in IUHI, identifying a total of 693,900 m2 of intensifying hot-spot areas in the selected compact city characterized by industrial, warehousing, and commercial developments. The detailed examination of urban fabric at a finer resolution (7.5 cm × 7.5 cm) identified rooftops with specific spectral characteristics (red/copper hue) as significant contributors to the IUHI phenomenon, inducing surface temperature increases above 5 °C compared to neighboring cells. Furthermore, high-rise developments emerge as land use forms that create cold spots in the urban fabric, improving the city’s thermal environment. The implications underscore the necessity for future urban planning to consider IUHI as a concentrated development of the UHI effect, urging a holistic understanding of the complex interconnections among various factors influencing microclimates in urban environments.

Analysing Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Urban Sprawl, Evolving Pattern of Urban Landscape and Driving Forces of Urban Growth: A Case of Varanasi Planning Region, India

Urban sprawl is at the centre of contemporary urban debates and is very often criticised for its negative social and environmental externalities. Building on geo-spatial methodology and field observations, this study sets out to develop a holistic approach to understanding urban sprawl through a particular focus on a rapidly growing metropolitan urban agglomeration of northern India, that is, Varanasi. Following an analysis of principal urban growth modes through landscape expansion index and changing patterns of urban landscape through landscape metrics, this research refers to a geo-spatially grounded logistic regression model in order to shed light on the dynamic impact of multiple growth factors on the trajectory of urban sprawl in the study area. Moreover, in order to address the evolving nature of urban sprawl in Varanasi and its immediate surroundings this study focuses on a temporal span of 20 years, encompassing two consecutive decades of the 21st century (2001–2011 and 2011–2021). The research concludes by paving a platform for an amalgamation of the findings from different geo-spatial metrics as well as by corroborating the principal findings with the propositions of a number of contemporary hypotheses concerning the spatial growth of urbanised territories.

Welcoming Cities/Unwelcoming States: Integration, Segregation and Suburban Sprawl in the U.S. South

This paper examines the spread of the new immigrant “ethnoburb” across Georgia. Gwinnett County is one of the most diverse counties due to immigration in the American South, and a top destination for immigrants, nationally. The emergence of immigrant-majority towns in suburban areas with low levels of resources for non-English speaking residents has created challenges at competing scales of local and state governance. Suburbs near Atlanta’s Buford Highway, where many immigrants live and work, experienced greater intensity of ICE enforcement due to policy shifts in the post-2016 Presidential Administration, as well as mixed forms of “welcome” from differently sized municipalities.