Provision of adequate housing in the urban areas of Ghana constitutes a major problem. In the Accra-Tema-Akosorabo Region of Ghana, the housing shortage is becoming more acute as a result of continuing population growth, which is due to natural increase; and to massive drift of population to the region because of the implementation of the Volta River project, and the industrialization of the region. It is the policy of the Ghana Government to provide houses to meet the needs of the inhabitants of the Acera-Tema-Akosorabo Region. The problem here is the determination of appropriate locations for the housing projects scheduled for the region, to aid in solving the housing problem, and to promote the balanced social and economic development of the region. Location of housing projects is critical in solving the housing shortage because location of housing projects influences: the size of project; the cost and quality of utility services; the cost of community services generally; and the cost of transportation. The location factors must be considered in the light of all other factors, such as place of work, with which housing location is interrelated. The search for a rational approach to the selection of location for housing projects leads to the study hypothesis: That the planned location of government-sponsored housing projects, as a solution to the housing problem in the Accra-Tema-Akosombo Region of Ghana, should be based on a comprehensive regional planning approach. The investigation of the comprehensive regional planning approach to the location of housing projects in the Accra-Tema-Akosombo Region is based on the assumptions that: the Ghana Government will continue to sponsor the provision of housing for all the inhabitants of the region; there will be no drastic changes or complete abandonment of the region's development programme; and that the housing needs of the urban dwellers are not to be considered as more urgent than those of the rural dwellers in the region. The study reveals that all the assumptions are valid. The Ghana Government's national policy of industrialization and urbanization as stated in the Seven-Year Development Plan (I963-I97O) is reviewed together with the regional development programme and plan for the Accra-Tema-Akosombo Region. These reviews shed light on both the national and the regional socio-economic development policies and programmes, of which housing is a part. Since very little has been written about the comprehensive regional planning approach to the location of housing projects, the concept underlying location of housing projects in the Durgapur Region of India is reviewed in order to throw light on the value of this concept. The conclusions drawn from the case study indicate that the process of selection of locations for housing projects is based on a comprehensive regional planning approach. The "Durgapur approach" provides the basis for relating the comprehensive regional planning approach to the location of housing projects in the Accra-Tema-Akosombo Region of Ghana. Criteria based on this approach are formulated for location of housing projects in the A.T.A. Region. A review of the three levels of planning, namely local, regional, and national, reveal that the comprehensive regional planning approach to the location of housing projects, in the Accra-Tema-Akosombo Region, is the most suitable approach. Despite the stated limitations, it is concluded that the regional approach would contribute to the rational selection of locations for housing projects in the regions of developing countries. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This study examines the residential subdivision of land in rural areas within the context of Community Planning Area Number 14 in the Regional District of Comox-Strathcona, British Columbia. Two separate elements comprise the major portion of the study. Interviews with a select sample of developers who practise within the Community Planning Area provide information about the extent and practise of residential land development in the study area. The interview schedule is designed to elicit both facts and opinions. The analysis of these interviews supplies the necessary background for the study. A random sample of residential subdivisions provides the basis for subdivision case studies. Each sample subdivision is subjected to a physical evaluation in terms of commonly accepted planning standards and principles for location and design. The extent to which the sample subdivisions meet the needs of the residents is discovered through interviews with the residents. These interviews are designed to elicit facts, opinions and levels of satisfaction pertaining to the subdivisions. The background to the problem and the methodology of the study are described. Concepts of residential subdivision location and design are discussed. The results of the comparative physical evaluation of the sample subdivisions and the results of the interviews with residents are also discussed. Conclusions are made about the location and design of the subdivisions and about the level of satisfaction which the residents express. It is shown in the study that "rural area residential subdivisions" in Community Planning Area Number 14 do not conform with accepted planning standards and principles. However, it is also shown that the needs of residents who have chosen to live in these subdivisions are satisfied despite those deficiencies. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This thesis examines institutional arrangements and government administration in the implementation of spatial planning policies in Indonesia. A case study approach is taken in examining the government initiatives to deal with environmental problems in the Puncak region. The natural landscape of the Puncak area attracts urban inhabitants to visit the area for recreation and to develop holiday homes and recreation-related facilities. The function of this area as a water source for Metropolitan Jakarta in turn is threatened by an increase in the amount of hard surface resulting from the development of man-made structures. These environmental problems became the focus of the national administration's attention directed by Presidential Regulation Number 13 of 1963, Presidential Decree Number 48 of 1983, and Presidential Decree Number 79 of 1985. In Indonesia, there are three levels of government: national, provincial, and district and municipal. As a consequence of being a unitary state, the supreme authority is held by the national government. The relationship between the national government and the regional government (e.g. province, district, municipality) is in accordance with the principles of deconcentration and decentralization. These principles affect the preparation and implementation of both development schemes and spatial plans. The National Development Planning Board prepares the Five-Year Development Plans while the Directorate of City and Regional Planning of the Department of Public Works prepares spatial plans. In order to execute sectoral and regional programs and projects indicated in a development plan, it is elaborated in annual operational plans. As with the operational plans, spatial plans use the development plan as their main reference. The involvement of the national and regional government agencies in tackling environmental problems in Puncak resulted in three coordination teams: Consultation Forum and Working Team at the national level and Technical Assistance Team at the regional level. Although the initiative of spatial planning is exercised by the central coordination teams, the implementation of spatial plans is placed under the authority of the provincial and regional governments. There are two approaches to regulating the use of land. One of spatial planning is held by the Directorate of City and Regional Planning and the other one of land administration is held by the Agrarian Affairs agencies. The national administration adopted the concept of spatial planning as the basis of government policies for the management of Puncak. The conceptual framework within which an analysis of the institutional arrangements for implementation is undertaken consists of five aspects: (1) the involvement of the executing agencies in the process of planning and implementation, (2) follow-up administration, (3) pronouncements by a higher authority, (4) coordination of planning and implementation, and (5) an institutional mechanism for implementation. The thesis finds that spatial planning must take into account administrative realities in order to achieve implementation which rests outside the planning agency. The activities of the executing agencies in turn are determined by a number of institutional factors: their organizational mandates and objectives derived from statutes and regulations, directives from superior officials and perception of subordinate officials in carrying out organizational tasks, existing routines and procedures, and administrative resources and organizational capabilities. From the analysis of the institutional arrangements and activities for implementing spatial planning policies for the Puncak region, this thesis concludes that presidential decrees are the driving force that activates government agencies to carry out their activities. A lesson obtained from the case of Puncak is that implementation is likely to happen if spatial planning takes into account not only a technical concept but also the administration of implementation. In this regard, this thesis recommends the need to include an "administrative strategy" in a spatial plan and to provide technical assistance from the central agencies to their regional counterparts. The purpose of this strategy is to consider the organizational capability of the executing agencies. The function of both this strategy and technical assistance is to enhance the preparation of an implementation-oriented regional spatial plan. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This thesis addresses the problem of resource town instability and focuses on resource settlement planning, assuming that a stable resource community is dependent on the settlement planning approach. The problem is addressed through the development of a new theoretical approach. It stems in part from a synthesis of the two dominant perspectives in the literature on resource towns --the "internal" and the "external" perspective. The internal perspective is expressed in the traditional resource settlement literature. Its goal is a stable labour supply to be attained by a focus on the physical and social attributes of the towns. This literature assumes a stable workforce stems from a stable community which can be achieved through physical and social planning applied at the community level. The external perspective is expressed by the critical resource settlement literature. Its goal is stable labour demand to be attained by a radical restructuring of the regional and provincial economy. The critical literature assumes that the long term stability of a resource community's employment base is dependent on fluctuating external markets over which the community has no control. The flaw of the internal perspective is its failure to address the need for long term stable labour demand. The external perspective is flawed by the absence of a policy prescription for settlement planning. The research methods comprise a review of the literature on planning theory, resource settlement planning and regional development. The proposed perspective is elaborated through a comparison of theoretical concepts with current British Columbia provincial policy as manifest in three recent applications; Elkford, Tumbler Ridge and Northwestern British Columbia. The result is a synthesis of the internal and external perspectives providing an alternative resource settlement planning approach which addresses resource community stability in the long as well as the short term. The salient points of the proposed resource settlement planning approach are-. • A territorial rather than a functional interpretation of regional development and settlement planning based on: - an internal regional focus for development which utilizes local social and economic goals; - a composite interpretation of the region, comprised of social, cultural, physical and economic dimensions; - a conservationist approach to resource use; and - a long run perspective in evaluating development. • The replacement of the goal of community stability by the goal of regional resilience. A resilient region is comprised of economically, socially and politically interlinked settlements which jointly serve the region's population; • A strategic planning process which employs bottom up representation involving local institutions and interest groups. The Elkford and Tumbler Ridge case studies indicate that the current provincial policy; 1. Relies on a strategic planning process, 2. attempts to move towards bottom up representation in implementing settlement plans and 3. is effective in creating short term community stability. But the current policy has not addressed long term stability. The territorial regional settlement planning approach developed in this thesis was tested for Northwest British Columbia. Suggested "ideal" planning actions for Northwest British Columbia are: • A shift in focus from examining settlement options which will best serve mining interests to an analysis of how mining can best serve regional development; • A development strategy which looks at alternative forms of development and the relationship between them and the mining proposals; • The use of the mine projects to encourage economic and social diversification in existing settlements in the southern part of the northwest region; • Greater use of local institutions and interest groups in the planning and implementation phase; and • The use of regionally based criteria in examining the settlement options. Given existing provincial resource settlement policies, two steps can be taken to move towards a territorial regional approach to resource settlement planning: 1. use and build upon existing settlement systems, and 2. use resource projects to foster regionally based economic diversification by planning ahead. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This study is concerned with the problem of environmental data collection, interpretation and presentation for regional land use planning. A landscape classification was carried out for the watershed of the southern Okakagan Valley by collecting and integrating data on surficial deposits, vegetation, soil and bedrock geology. Thirty nine land systems are described and mapped, and shown on a base map at a scale of 1:125,000. The land systems are relatively homogeneous landscape units, characterized by a particular landform (or patterns of landforms) with associated vegetation and soil. Interpretive guidelines were developed for determining the suitability of the land systems for selected engineering (urban development), recreation and wildlife interpretations. The interpretive guidelines with the derived suitability ratings provide planning information for the region, show how the classification system can assist regional land use planning and form a framework for similar studies in other areas. Methods of data presentation were used to facilitate the understanding and application of this information by planners, technical experts,scientists and the concerned public. Specifically this was accomplished through the use of an expanded legend, stereo-pair and colour photographs, and by having separate sections for referencing information. The methods used in this study provide a rapid and relatively inexpensive framework for collecting, presenting and interpreting environmental baseline information. The information can be of valuable assistance to technical and non-technical people in the land use planning and decision making processes. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

Urban and regional planning is now accepted as a legitimate function of government. But the evolution of Canadian planning from its inception at the turn of.the century to its new-found status as an objective technical exercise has been a profoundly complex process involving questions about the very nature of society. This thesis is an attempt to trace the development of the theory and practice of planning from its controversial beginnings at the turn of the century to its final acceptance as a necessary and desirable function of the state. At the beginning of the century it became clear that the rapid pace of urbanization and the capitalist institutions of private property and unregulated private markets were in serious conflict. The new urban, industrial order that accompanied capital accumulation was plagued by interdependences and interactions which made the unrestricted use of property an antiquated and dangerous illusion threatening the physical health of the population, the efficiency of the urban system, and the social stability of the entire society. Canadians responded to this conflict in three distinct and somewhat contradictory ways. One approach which was advocated by agrarian radicals was to implement reforms in Canadian society in order to revitalize rural life and reverse the undesirable trend of urbanization. The second approach, which was advocated by urban liberals, was to accept urbanization as both desirable and inexorable and to accommodate it by initiating limited reforms while still preserving the basic features of capitalism. The third response, advocated by urban radicals, was to accept urbanization as inexorable and to restructure capitalist institutions which were inimical to the sorts of government planning they thought was necessary to manage the new urban order. Urban and regional planning was considered as essential by all these groups. After going through several initial stages of development, a comprehensive body of planning theory which appealed to all three groups was formulated by leading Canadian planners such as Adams. This theory integrated the aesthetic concerns of city beautiful planning, the efficiency concerns of American city planning, and the equity concerns of British town planning. The theory envisaged a strong role for the state in controlling property and providing housing. By the twenties, the consensus that had formed around this theory of planning collapsed due to a gradual amelioration of urban problems and an overt confrontation between liberals and urban and agrarian radicals. During the twenties a new, more conservative theory of planning developed which emphasized the protection of private property and the provision of public infrastructure to accommodate private accumulation. Planners became allied with real estate interests who were eager to use zoning and other powers of the state to their advantage. With the collapse of the economy in the thirties, the latent ideological conflicts which had been submerged in the twenties reappeared with renewed vitality. The urban and agrarian radicals joined forces to form a socialist party dedicated to eradicating capitalism and replacing it with a planned economy. Liberals were forced to formulate a new system of both managing the crisis and preserving capitalism. Gradually they developed a new consensus that was based on the three principles of Keynesian stabilization policies, social welfare and sectoral planning for those areas of the economy plagued by market failures. Housing and land were defined as one of the sectors of the economy affected by market failures. Major government reports defined a new postwar system of urban and regional planning to mitigate these failures in land and housing markets. The reports were highly critical of the type of planning existing in the twenties, and proposed a new more comprehensive system of planning and of controls over property. The urban liberals, however, who were the dominant group, were apprehensive about the increased role of the state envisaged in these reports. Consequently, they only partially implemented the recommended reforms. Urban and regional planning, although strengthened, was ultimately subordinated to the interests of private markets and property. It again became a passive system of regulation providing necessary services to accommodate private expansion and regulations to enhance property rights. Nonetheless, its strengthened position ensured that the worst features of development were eliminated. The tendency of liberal planning to shift back and forth between more aggressive intervention during times of crisis and very passive intervention during times of stability has meant that, because of the long lag times between the emergence of crisis and the creation of plans and institutions capable of managing the crisis, Canadian planning has been strongest after the crisis has already subsided or when it has changed form. Consequently, the ability to plan has been highest when the need to plan has been lowest. One question raised by the thesis is why the more passive liberal approach to planning emerged as the dominant one.. It is argued that this is due, in large part, to Canada's unique character of economic development and class structure. Unlike countries such as Britain which developed more socialist modes of planning, urbanization in Canada was accompanied by a rapid expansion in agriculture and staple industries. Consequently, the Canadian response to development was logically divided between urban and rural concerns. Canada's industrial capitalist class and working class which were both promoting more aggressive urban planning were too weak to have much influence. The more powerful agrarian radicals and mercantile capitalists were able to direct attention away from the emerging urban problems to rural and resource issues which directly affected them. In the end, the urban liberals were successful in resolving the conflict between urbanization and capitalist institutions. Limited acceptance of urban and regional planning allowed for the successful management of urban problems within the framework of capitalist institutions. Whether it will continue to be successful in doing this only time will tell. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Canadian planners face an uncertain future. The communities which planners serve are experiencing significant change and seeking answers to the environmental, economic, and social factors affecting them Planners have been disparaged publicly and in writing by prominent popular writers, criticized by planning theorists, reproached by politicians and the public, and challenged from within and outside the profession to explore new ways of addressing the issues facing society. While planners have been caught up in those debates and issues, no one has asked planners what they think about the future of their profession. This study examines the state of Canadian planning^ asks practitioners what they think about their profession, and identifies the factors which affect the work of planners. The study is based upon a review of planning literature and a survey of Canadian planners. The literature review examines others' -mainly planning theorists'- primary research to explore the historic relationship between planners and city building and the influences of that relationship upon modem planning thought and practice. The study also reviews the evolution of modem planning theory and modern planning practice. The examination of the history and theory of planning provides a context for the exploration of practitioners' views of the nature and status of planning in Canada. The focus of the study is an analysis of the views of Canadian practitioners on the current state of planning. Five hundred and two questionnaires were sent to a random sample of members of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), representing 14% of the Provisional and Full members. One hundred and tiiirty three or 27% of the sample responded. The results provide a detailed understanding of what Canadian planners identify as the issues facing Canadian planning practice. The study confirms that a majority of Canadian planners believe that planning practice is facing or is in a state of crisis. They suggest that the crisis is caused by a number of factors such as the political nature of planning decision-making, lack of public understanding of planning, and lack of understanding of planning by politicians. Many planners feel that planning is compromised by the politics of place and that, more and more, planning is facing conflicts of competing interests. In the face of those pressures, planners believe that most planners have become agents of order rather than agents of change. They suggest that the future of planning rests in identifying appropriate new concepts of planning action. A large number also believe that there is a weak linkage between the theory and practice of planning which threatens the well being of planning practice. Building upon the findings of the survey and Len Gertler's 1994 challenge to the Canadian Institute of Planners to identify a "more appropriate development model," the study suggests that a "new development model" could reinvigorate Canadian planning and build effective linkages between theory and practice. The study suggests the evolving concepts of healthy communities and sustainable development could provide a framework for such a model which could have a social reform and interventionist approach to community-based action. The dissertation offers suggestions on the potential form of the model and the role that the Canadian Institute of Planners could play in articulating it. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The author examines effective urban water management as a means to promote sustainable development and achieve water sensitive cities. A qualitative method is utilised in the collection of data through document studies, desktop analysis and a literature review. A review of the current national and local water policies and approaches within South Africa, and more specifically Cape Town, indicated the need for a coordinated, systems based and holistic approach to urban water management. Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is considered as an alternative approach to urban water management in Cape Town to build resilience among local communities against the threat of drought and flood events, and promote sustainable development in moving toward a water sensitive city. A model for implementing WSUD in the context of limited resources and capacity within local municipal departments is considered. Incorporating the principles of WSUD within spatial planning initiatives to implement this approach and catalyse a systemic transition in urban water management is considered and assessed in a case study of the proposed development of the River Club. The case study considers a bottom-up approach to transforming urban water management and the capacity of WSUD, when implemented through spatial planning, to simultaneously address multiple objectives including those of sustainable development and those contained within national and local policies. The benefits of a WSUD approach for all are considered. Many if these benefits are as a result of reduced pressures on municipal infrastructure and increased water resources accrued as a product of the proposed implementation model. The implementation model proposed creates conditions in which municipal resources and investment can be redirected to promote equitable water resource and service provision distribution throughout the city. The model is proposed to effect a transformation in water policy, institutional structures and water resource management to reflect the principles of WSUD in a manner which is cognisant of the various limitations inherent to the City.

The activity with which this thesis is concerned is that of retailing; the area of focus being the shopping centre. This environment is one which displays a complex set of spatial and human relationships involving amongst others location, size, rent structure, shopping mix, movement, fashion, socio-economic status, expenditure patterns and consumer behaviour. It can be demonstrated that if certain of these factors are left to respond to what is generally known as the "market mechanism", the resultant environment usually exhibits certain undesirable features such as congestion, pollution and commercial blight. The planner seeks, amongst other aims to create an environment which is optimal and balanced and which provides for human needs such as convenience and safety.

Building that can adapt and change to become useful for not only today’s society but for generations to come is one which elicits biological and evolutionary processes. In essence, the need for a transformative architecture that can sustain an active dialogue with its inhabitants, whose trend are in constant flux, results in a reunification between humanity and its time-sensitive, responsive natural habitat. The aim of thesis is to explore what makes people satisfy and comfortable and what factors make their living space and city livable, especially focusing on future housing needs. We can respond to the question of how is the space of the future going to look through several aspects. Housing has been a major challenge for the rising population during last decades, especially in developing countries. My approach will focus on social and interactional space alongside technological aspects. “Architecture as part of life” is a concept that I always carried with me: Buildings that adjust to life, to our needs, to our moods. They should adapt to our space, our functionalities and our needs that change continuously – and even to our sense of beauty, itself in continuous motion. Life satisfaction occurs most often when people are engaged in absorbing activities that cause them to forget themselves, lose track of time and stop worrying. "Flow" is the term that psychologist coined to describe this phenomenon. I believe that in age of technology and information we can’t ignore social interaction and communication. The concept of spaces of communication can be explained as in-between spaces in terms of architecture and semi-spaces in terms of urbanism. This thesis will argue that the spaces of communication, which are assumed to create social and environmental contact, can exist in any kind of urban environment. Architecture is based on the past and built in the present to take care of the future. It also mirrors the various aspect of our lives- social, economic, spiritual. Building cannot be separate from history, culture, economy, community and environment. The answer to the question of what will future generation need to live a happy life will vary from place to place. Happiness and satisfaction have universal factors but when we go in depth and explore individual societies and cities in terms of history, background, culture and social necessity we will understand differences that need to be respected. Generally, despite all differences in professional structures, economic conditions, geographical limitations, cultural, political and historical backgrounds suitable residential spaces in most developing countries face similar challenges. It appears that cities of today, and especially big cities all around the world, are all struggling with similar problems. Big cities should be built of communities which have a feature of small cores (neighborhoods) located in big city; that will benefit from the opportunities of big city. This concept is known as planetary perspective. My site, Tehran, was selected as a prototype city of a developing country. Developing countries are often more challenging because of their population growth that have huge impact on future environmental and economic issues. As urban reality shows, increasing population, demand for limited resources and depletion of natural environment strengthen this default that as urbanization gains pace, more people will find themselves living close together than ever before. The quality of urban living spaces will be even more significant in future. Architecture can change the way we think, we feel and embrace the future.