Growth control at the urban fringe: planning and policy instruments – the case of Ankara

2016
Sınacı, Fulya
Urban growth dynamics play an important role in determining the future scenarios of cities and in the shaping of the urban form. Although spatial growth can be considered as an opportunity to provide new living and working places for growing populations, it is arguable whether all decisions aimed at physical growth are compatible with local dynamics. Even if growth is needed, considering the conditions of a locality, it is not always easy to control this growth and prevent it from turning into sprawl. Previous literature on urban growth and examples in many countries show that uncontrollable urban growth impacts mostly on life at the urban fringe. Growth decisions within the spatial plans of many cities have caused sprawl also in Turkey. Nevertheless, there are only a limited number of studies examining the tensions at the fringe arising from uncontrolled growth. This thesis reveals the need for more effective planning and policy instruments to control growth at the urban fringe in Turkey, with emphasis on the change in definition and characteristics of the fringe concept. To this end, Ankara and as a significant part of fringe İmrahor Valley, have been chosen as the case study for an elaboration of growth dynamics and problems. One of the important results of this thesis is that many strategies and tools have been produced for the control of urban growth since the 19th century up until the present day in Ankara. However, although the growth control strategies have been proposed in urban plans of Ankara, the thesis reveals that the tensions at the fringe have increased particularly after the 1980s due to the marked-led and partial planning implementations. It also emphasizes that the existing planning implementations have caused a constant change in the characteristics of Ankara’s fringe bringing about a divergence from the theoretical meaning of fringe. The thesis concludes presenting the requirements of strong and consistent growth control.

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Citation Formats
F. Sınacı, “Growth control at the urban fringe: planning and policy instruments – the case of Ankara,” Ph.D. - Doctoral Program, Middle East Technical University, 2016.