Urban Planning: What and Why? Is Planning Necessary?

The world population has almost doubled during the last three decades and the majority of the world’s seven million people are living in urban regions. Furthermore, the world’s urban population and the number of large cities are expected to double in the following ten years. This burgeoning urbanization entails remarkable challenges to urban planning, especially in developing countries. (Mukhopadhyay, 2014, p. 1)

What is urban planning? What is the meaning of planning and what makes a successful plan? Why successful planning is important?

Fischler (2012, p. 108) defines professional urban planning as ‘the collective management of urban development, the use of purposeful deliberation to give shape to human settlements’. Planning is used to manage rapid growth of cities and helps to minimize harmful externalities of urbanization (Fischler, 2012, p 109). It aims to enhance well-being and economic growth in urban regions (Fischler, 2012, p. 110). Planning is a process that must be carried out carefully by motivated, passionate and open-minded professionals who know the community of which living conditions they are trying to improve (Fischler, 2012, p. 112). 

According to Fischler (2012, p. 111), good plans

-        have an explicit purpose based on objective analysis,
-        focus on a limited number of sensible projects that can be monitored,
-        are mixtures of idealism and realism,
-        are future oriented,
-        benefit from the contribution of stakeholders (institutions, households etc.),
-        require time and have a long-term perspective (sustainability).

What happens when a plan does not include these characteristics? Some of the latest examples can be found in today’s cities in China. In her article in The Guardian, Bosker (2014) lists flaws of urban planning made in Chinese cities during the last 20 years. Cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Taiyuan, Wuxi and Yingkou have implemented same failed urban plans used in the US (lack of future orientation and analysis) and built financial centers and copies of renowned buildings like the Tower-Bridge only to look like a financial center (lack of explicit purpose, realism and analysis). In addition, Chinese bureaucrats have financed their operations by selling land to numerous developers who have rapidly expanded the suburbs farther from city centrals with opulent detached houses regardless of the government’s attempts to restrict the construction of luxury houses (too many hasty projects that are difficult to monitor and control). The ownership of these households is usually dependent on car ownership which in turn has caused congestion and pollution. (Bosker, 2014, p. 1)

One could argue that these planning mistakes are another example of the necessity to substitute government planning with market forces. However, even efficient market forces cannot control negative externalities and regional inequalities that afflict Chinese mega-cities (Klosterman, 1985, p. 9).

Consequently, planning is a key element in developing better and attractive urban regions and cities. In order to succeed, good plans must include features presented above. What else does a good plan require? Is there something else that should be taken into account in planning processes of the cities in developing countries? Could market forces replace planning in developed countries? I’d like to hear your comments.

References

Bosker, B 2014, ‘Why haven't China's cities learned from America's mistakes?’, The Guardian, 20 August, viewed 21 August 2014 <http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/aug/20/why-havent-chinas-cities-learned-from-americas-mistakes>

Fischer, R 2012, ‘Fifty Theses on Urban Planning and Urban Planners’, Journal of Planning Education and Research, vol. 32, n. 1, pp. 108-114.

Klosterman, R 1985, ‘Arguments For and Against Planning’, Town Planning Review, vol. 56, n. 1, pp. 5-20.

Mukhopadhyay, B 2014, ‘Urban Planning: Challenges for Developing World’, The Financial Express, 16 August, viewed 21 August 2014 <http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2014/08/16/50628>