INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR TOWN PLANNING

AR-309: ARCHITECTURE AND TOWN PLANNING (B)

By:

RAVINDAR KUMAR
Assistant Professor
Department of Architecture and Planning
NED University of Engineering and Technology
Karachi

LECTURE NO. 06
TOPIC: INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR TOWN PLANNING

1. Introduction:

In any town planning exercise a lot of information required and different kinds of databases are prepared. These databases contain the information regarding physical, social and economic conditions of both existing and proposed town. Similarly; town planning maps are made for every component of planning; such as maps for geography, geology, climate, history, society, economy, religion, ethnicity and culture etc. The information is also required for existing land & terrain, natural resources, socioeconomic conditions and as built landuse of the given area for which planning is to be carried out.

Thus the theme “Information Required for Town Planning” leads us to identify the objectives of town planning and the process of town planning to be employed in any given context; on the basis of which the types of information may be sorted out. In addition the definition of town planning in any context may also lead us to identify the information required for town planning.

2. Information Required for Town Planning in United Kingdom (UK):

If one look at the definition of town planning in United Kingdom (UK) it narrates that, “Town and Country Planning is the land use planning system by which governments seek to maintain a balance between economic development and environmental quality.”[1] Thus; the information required for town planning in UK must be regarding the key words explained in the definition i.e. land use characteristics, economic characteristics and environmental characteristics. Similarly; for each context the information required shall be subject to the nature of town planning to be employed in a given context. In the following the information required for town planning shall be described in some detail especially with reference to definition of Town planning in UK.

3. Information Required for Land Use Planning:

As discussed above land use was the first key word in UK for which information is required. “Land use is the human modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements”[2]

Thus the information required for land use is the existing condition of land where planning is to be carried out and the changes in the physical three dimensional characteristics of land where natural environment is transformed into built environment. Furthermore another information is required here is the reasons of the changes in the land use and the actors involved in that change. Thus in this way one may plan for the future of that particular land use that exists there and suggest ways and means to improve the over all land use pattern.

4. Information Required For Economic Development:

“Economic development is the development of economic wealth of countries or regions for the well-being of their inhabitants. It is the process by which a nation improves the economic, political, and social well being of its people.[3]

From a policy perspective, economic development can be defined as efforts that seek to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for a community by creating and/or retaining jobs and supporting or growing incomes and the tax base.”[4]

In this key word of Economic Development the information required shall be regarding inhabits of any context, their political and social conditions, quality of life, income, jobs and taxes.

5. Information Required for Environmental Quality:

Environmental quality is a set of properties and characteristics of the environment, either generalized or local, as they impinge on human beings and other organisms.[5]

‘Environmental quality is a general term which can refer to varied characteristics that relate to the natural environment as well as the built environment, such as air and water purity or pollution, noise and the potential effects which such characteristics may have on physical and mental health caused by human activities.’[6]

In case of the phrase environmental quality the information required include characteristics of environment in given context, existing natural and built environment i.e. air, water, land pollution etc.

6. Conclusion:

Collectively if one combines all these three key words of land use planning, economic development and environmental quality as per definition of town planning in UK the information required would be manifold and of numerous types.

Similarly; context to context the information required for town planning would be different from one another; whereas, the objectives of town planning may also be said as the major determinant of the information required.

Another perspective to look at this issue is with reference to key aspects of town planning which may also be a major determinant for information required. These include physical, geographical, geological, climatic, social, economic, historic, cultural, religious and environmental conditions of any context.

References:

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_and_country_planning_in_the_United_Kingdom
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landuse
[3] Sullivan, arthur, Steven M. Sheffrin (2003). Economics: Principles in action. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Prentice Hall. pp 471 ISBN 0-13-063085-3 http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZ3R9&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbCategoryId=&PMDbProgramId=12881&level=4
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_development
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Quality
[6] http://glossary.eea.europa.eu/EEAGlossary/E/environmental_quality