Faculty of Architecture, Town & Country Planning

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    item: Thesis-Abstract
    Decentralisation in Hong Kong : housing, employment and land use implications
    Kulatilake, KKRP
    Growth polarities of the city into centralised and decentralised forms have been synonymous as the birth of the city itself. Concurrently, two basic schools of thought have sprung based on these and the patterns of city growth have constantly been subject to argument. In the debate no conclusive ends have been arrived at, although both seem necessary for the city growth. Contrary to some arguments, decentralisation is not mere diluting of urban density. It could rather be used as an effective way of mitigating over-dense urban setting or creating, still dense poly-nucleated, autonomous centres around a main urban core. The primary attribute of such centres should be the availability of employment opportunities to sustain its resident population within themselves. Hong Kong rests itself in the extreme end of this debate as a compact city, which however does not prove itself on most of the arguments put forward by the 'centrists'. Its extreme environmental pollution, sky-rocketing urban metabolic rates, traffic congestion, grossly inadequate open space provisions, severe lack of land in the urban core and the limitations of harbour reclamations alone to add land for development have necessitated its march towards decentralisation, which has manifested in the form of new towns. In terms of population and housing, decentralisation efforts have become much successful, however in terms of employment it lags behind. Also Hong Kong's economic transition from manufacturing to services sector, its increasing links with the Pearl River Delta region, re-union with the mainland China, whose free economic policies are making significant impacts upon the future role in Hong Kong, have subtle impacts on Hong Kong's urban form and its decentralisation ventures. Thus, finding strategic planning options to make decentralisation has to take these factors into consideration. The most appropriate option may be to create alternative autonomous and sufficiently large urban centres at strategic locations, the primary concern of which is to provide employment opportunities for the already established new towns. They will be amply fed with necessary infrastructure and service facilities. Once formed, those urban centres will be mutually complementary to one another by way of providing employment and supplying the necessary work force. Locations of such centres, size and the type of employment provisions are extremely important to decide, taking into consideration the factors cited at the end of the foregoing paragraph. Positive government intervention in terms such policy measures as fiscal incentives, land-related concessions, grants and subsidies are necessary. These centres, although being the result of a decentralisation effort should essentially have higher densities, with careful land use zoning, open spaces, transport and infrastructure facilities. Once the locations are carefully chosen they would help reduce the longer daily trip lengths into shorter and more sustainable ones. Adverse environmental efforts should also be minimised by way of introducing energy efficient buildings, innovative technologies and environmental friendly modes of transport.
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    item: Thesis-Abstract
    The implication of land reform in the planned developmnent of rural settlement with special reference to Ratnapura district
    (2014-07-03) Siriwardane, WA
    Sri Lanka rural population trill be strongly influenced by the a process of land reform introduced by/government in 1972. These reforms have vested over a million acres with the state and also nationalised the ownership of large plantations or estates in the country. These will enable the opportunity to effectively plan the rural sector with a stronger economic base and less limitations; of ownership. A planning study of the rural settlements in the context of the opportunities offered by land reform is timely. This dissertaion is an attempt in this direction. The study is divided into three Parts comprising eight chapters. The first chapter of Part I penetrates into the historical background of land reforms and discussed the magnitude of the problem faced by settlements. The second chapter deals wit hthe provisions and objectives of Land Reform Law No.I of 1972 and its amendment Law No.39 of 1975. In this an attempt has been made to identify the various features of the Law and its impending results on the rural settlements. Chapter three has discucced the condition of the rural settlements before the introduction of land reform of 1972 with special reference to the Ratnapura District. This chapter has particularly attempted a study of the changing pattern of the rusal settlements. The next chapter has discussed the organisational features pertaining to the development of rural settlements taking note of the Land Reform Commission and of the existig structure of Central Government and Local Government institutions. Necessity to have a better understanding and co-ordination has been pointed out. part II comprises the analysis of the study and has three chapters. It has critically evaluated and analysed the Facters that related to land reform policies in term of rural settlements with specific attention to Ratnapura Si strict. Thus chapter five has analysed the structural and spatial changes envisaged or brought in by land reform specifically in Ratnapura. It has evaluated the value of intergrating the estate settlements which existed independently with the rural settlements. Development of local townships and rural settlements with the purpose of bringing in some balance received special attention here, ghapter six has critically evaluated the planning-organisation of rural settlements. This has been followed in chapter seven with the implications of land reform for settlement planning through.the Local Authority who are the statutory planning agencies for settlements. In the context of chapters six and seven the introduced nev principles of land alienation has also been discussed. In addition the necessity to have a closer contact with the local authorities has been raised. The Janawasa (new settlement schemes)introduced the land reform has also been critically discussed in this Part. It has pointed out the need for comprehensive planning of settlement established under the Janawasas. Part III include the conclusions and the recommendations of this study.