AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACTS OF PLANNING CONTROLS ON RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN KADUNA METROPOLIS

By

Author

Presented To

Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
The exercise of statutory control over the physical development of Urban centres has, since the Industrial Revolution of the Nineteenth Century, become a major planning practice. This is because the city has increasingly occupied people's minds, as a subject of study. Indeed, planning controls have today won a great deal of the concern of both governments and organizations the world over. This is so because planning controls are the Conner stone of the physical planning process. Through their application, the physical development of urban centers is streamlined for the purpose of enhancing amenity and socio-economic viability of the urban centers. The application of various planning controls, therefore, explains a good deal of the nature of contemporary urban development in all parts of the world where they are applied. This, however, is in addition to the more traditional economic, social, cultural and physical environmental determinants which already have received extensive coverage in existing Literature. The main thrust of this thesis is the exploration and assessment of the impacts of planning controls on urban physical development, with particular focus on selected residential sectors of Kaduna Metropolis. This is with a view to suggesting appropriate planning solutions to existing problem . The study report consists of six chapters. Chapter one contains the background to the study, statement of the research problem, aim, objectives and methodology of data collection and analysis of data. It also includes an introduction to Kaduna, the study area. Chapter two deals with literature review on the concept, purpose and practice of planning controls as well as the various factors which influence the implementation of the controls. Chapter three focuses on the case of Kaduna. It discusses the principal statutory agencies implementing planning controls, the various planning controls applied in the metropolis and the examination of the procedures and tools for implementing the planning controls. Chapter four presents results of the investigation, covering the activities of the statutory agencies implementing the controls and the activities of real estate developers in the selected residential sectors. Issues covered include land allocation, issuance of certificates of occupancy (C. of 0 ) , granting of planning permits and physical development characteristics in the selected sectors. In chapter five, an assessment of the impacts of the planning control measures is made at the metropolitanlevel as well as the level of the individual rendential sectors studies. - i i i - The assessment at the metropolitan level is based on a comparison of the Max Lock Land use proposals for Kaduna for 1967-2017 period and the existing Land use in the metropolis. Cases of negation of the Master plan are established based on this comparison. The assessment at the sector level is done on the basis of some selected parameters which include sources of plots, obtaining certificate of occupancy, obtaining planning permit, compliance with building height regulation, building line and set-backs, reservation for streets and utilities, sanitation, and so forth. These parameters are scored over one hundred percent each and an assessment done on the basis of aggregate scores for each residential sector studied and in respect of each parameter. On the basis of this both the sectors and the parameters are ranked in order of their performance and applicability respectively. The conclusion drawn from the assessment is that planning controls are largely ineffective in Kaduna metropolis. This ineffectiveness is attributed to some inadequacies in the administrative, technical and legal, components of the machinery for implementing the controls. However, note is made of some positive achievements which have been made through the application of the planning controls identified. - i v - In chapter six, some recommendations and proposals are offered towards inproving the planning control machinery for a more effective implementation of the controls and, thus, more positive impacts of the controls on residential developments in Kaduna metropolis.