Urban Infill Development: A Strategy for Saving Peri-Urban Areas in Developing Countries (the Case Study of Ardabil, Iran)

Abstract

The overall objective of this study was to investigate urban infill development policies as a good solution to counteract urban sprawl and protect the peri-urban area of Ardabil in Northwestern Iran. In this context, we used a mixed methodology (two quantitative methods). Landsat imagery, including a patchy Landsat ETM+ for the year 2000 and a Landsat 8 for the year 2020, was used to map and assess land use to investigate sprawl and land-use change, and ArcGIS was used to investigate the potential for infill development in this city. The results show that between 2000 and 2020, 967 hectares of peri-urban land was lost to urban expansion. CA-Markov projections also showed that 452 hectares will be lost by 2030. The assessment of the city’s internal capacity for infill development showed that more than 999 hectares of land within the city are suitable to support this strategy and provide the land needed for urban expansion over the next decade. Finally, the study of the city’s master plan, which applies to all Iranian cities, discovered that there is a lack of adequate outlook regarding the amount of land available for future urban development, leading to misuse of urban land and urban sprawl in Iranian cities, suggesting that an infill development strategy could be a good way to address this issue.

Measurement and Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of High-Quality Development Efficiency in Metropolitan Areas: A Case Study of the Changchun Metropolitan Area

“…This objective can be realized by implementing infill development strategies within central urban areas, such as new development of vacant, abandoned, planned, and smaller plots in builtup areas of indirect communities where infrastructure already exists to limit urban land use sprawl. This method has demonstrated efficacy in addressing the challenges of rapid urbanization and promoting sustainable urban growth, as exemplified by its successful implementation in the city of Ardabil, Iran [88]. (3) In order to address these issues, the CCMA should prioritize the transition towards green industrial cities while simultaneously promoting economic development.…”

Key Success Factors of Urban Infill Development: A Conceptual Framework

“…The partners may be advisory bodies with long experience in this type of project to provide the desired benefit or financing bodies that invest in project sites and support the local government's vision at the sites of infill development projects. It is also possible for the local government to allocate its employees to work with these bodies and benefit from their expertise in a way that benefits and develops them for future projects (Mohammadi-Hamidi, 2022).…”