Measuring urban form at community scale: Case study of Dublin, Ireland

Abstract

With a tradition of compact cities, generally strict planning controls, and variable growth rates, many cities in Europe have policies which aim to restrict low density growth patterns. However, there is clear evidence that low density growth is happening, and that it is essential to understand the nature, location, and extent of the urban forms emerging on the periphery of cities across Europe. In its extreme manifestation, such low density peripheral growth is labelled as sprawl and considered detrimental. Drawing on the extensive literature on defining and measuring urban form, we focus on the methodologies and measures applied in the European studies at the regional (metropolitan), city, and community level. Affirming that the assessment of urban form at the community level is undertaken only sporadically, we adapt the measures used by Knaap et al. (2007) in studying US urban form to explore their applicability and robustness in analysing the evolution of urban form in a European setting. We examine the change of urban form in the Dublin Region (Ireland) in terms of residential and commercial density, internal and external connectivity, and land use mix. We find that the measures used, when adjusted to meet availability and nature of local data, are strong in revealing the trends in urban development form. We conclude by discussing the significance of the trends revealed in the case of Dublin and point to the issues of data availability in terms of both spatial and temporal resolution. Finally, we speculate on how the measures at different scales are suited to inform different types of urban policies and planning approaches.

Transitions of spatial planning in Ireland: moving from a localised to a strategic national and regional approach

“…Speculative development and land interests in this period become the dominant force in development policies with local authorities very dependent on such interests to achieve required residential and commercial growth. In terms of urban form, speculative greenfield housing development at low densities resulted in a sprawl pattern becoming dominant during this period (Nedović-Budić et al, 2016).…”

Developing and Assessing Alternative Land-Use Scenarios from the MOLAND Model: A Scenario-Based Impact Analysis Approach for the Evaluation of Rapid Rail Provisions and Urban Development in the Greater Dublin Region

“…Over time this has resulted in over-zoning pressures and overbuilding of housing outside main urban centres. This trend, combined with an underdeveloped public transit system for Dublin, resulted in extensive dispersed development leading the European Environment Agency in 2006 to describe Dublin as a worst-case example of sprawl (see also Nedovic-Budic et al [52]; Ustaoglu et al [53]). The market imperfections, conflicts in the planning and administrative system and the rapid economic growth of 1990-2007 are the main contributory factors to dispersed or sprawl development patterns in the GDR, which can be characterised by single use and low-density developments.…”

Distribución e indicadores de cobertura y accesibilidad del espacio público en Manizales, Colombia

“…El concepto de espacio público es complejo porque incluye diferentes enfoques de lugar, uso, acceso, control y propiedad, de forma que se puede abordar desde distintas aproximaciones y niveles de comprensión (Mehta 2014), pues representa un espacio físico, funcional y social que implica un proceso de gestión. El espacio público cumple diferentes roles sociales y está constituido por múltiples elementos que contribuyen a definir su uso.…”