Sustainability in Peri-Urban Informal Settlements: A Review

Abstract

The study of peri-urbanization attracted attention in the final quarter of the 20th century, due to the pace it acquired worldwide and the implication that urbanization and overall settlement patterns have on social sustainability and development. Theoretical and conceptual achievements are remarkable. Multi-country collaboration has produced a growing body of research on sustainability and peri-urban settlements. There is a lack, however, of a review of the practices of peri-urban informal settlements, the predominant mode of urban expansion, mainly in developing and rapidly urbanizing regions of the world. The purpose is, then, to systematize, from recent literature, the knowledge of the context, challenges, and practices, as well as their impacts and potential courses of action, to ensure sustainability in human–natural complex of the territory beyond urban cores, suburbs, or slums. A systematic review approach was adopted, for articles published in reputable journals, with support of previous reviews, books, and reports. A pragmatist combination of content analysis and critical review identified core topics and highlighted contrasting views. An analytical framework is proposed. Four categories—drivers, challenges and practices, impact, and future trends—are proposed as an adequate approach to systematizing the literature. The review finds that the practices focus on service and resource provision, on regulations to approximate informal to formal institutions, and on an economy founded on the resource base and service provision. This review provides insights on future trends and research topics.

Analysis of Trends in Land Utilization and Land Cover Dynamics in the Kwahu West Municipality, Ghana

“…The lack of implementation of the development plans in the urban centres, which led to the development of informal settlements, was another factor that contributed to the growth of built-up land. Jones (2017) and Carrilho & Trindade (2022) argue that to foster favourable conditions for the sustainable evolution of future informal settlements, planners must consider the same issues that are paramount in formal urban developments, such as balanced or planned land uses. Significant portions of the municipality that were not initially intended for residential use have been taken up by these unplanned urban sprawls.…”

Typology of Public Open Space in Peri-Urban Unplanned Settlement. Case Study: Kampong of Kalipaten, Tangerang, Indonesia

“…One of the places to accommodate interaction activities between residents is public open space. Spatial studies in residential areas should always pay attention to spatial patterns that facilitate social interaction among residents (Omer & Goldblatt, 2012;Liu et al, 2018;Carrilho & Trindade, 2022). Through the study of these spatial patterns, one can explore comprehensively including physical elements, namely buildings and open spaces and non-physical elements in the form of economic, social, and cultural activities of the inhabitants (Omer & Goldblatt, 2012).…”

Urban Design Solutions for the Environmental Requalification of Informal Neighbourhoods: The George Dimitrov Neighbourhood, Maputo

“…In this process, sustainable urban design strategies emerge, such as: (i) the permeability of the road structure, urban variety and robustness [24]; (ii) the inclusive and accessible network of public spaces and green spaces [25]; and (iii) urban densification, the inclusion of vegetation and sustainable urban services_ [26,27] among others, which play a crucial role in sustaining and improving the liveability at the district and regional levels of informal settlements [28][29][30][31]. This study presents an exploration of the role of urban design in the physical (and social) transformation of informal settlements through a prospective approach, driven by empirical evidence and based on theoretical assumptions obtained from the observation and analysis of the local scale of the case study.…”