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17 - Urban Planning and Quality of Life of Urban Residents in Africa

from Part III - Sustainable Urban Planning in Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2023

By
Akeem Bayonle Ola
Edited by
Patrick Brandful Cobbinah  and
Eric Gaisie
Patrick Brandful Cobbinah
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
Eric Gaisie
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
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Summary

The rapid rate of urbanisation in Africa accompanied by a myriad of socio-economic, physical and environmental challenges and the persistence of these challenges have called into question the effectiveness of urban planning in managing this phenomenon to achieve an improved quality of life. This chapter, through an extensive review of the literature, examines the magnitude of Africa’s urbanisation challenges, the planning response to those challenges and the effects of planning on the quality of life. The chapter notes a peculiar urbanisation with rapid human agglomeration but without commensurate urban facilities and services. Urban planning is characterised by heavy reliance on western planning models that has made it less responsive to the socio-economic, cultural and spatial requirements of the people, thus making cities less liveable. The chapter calls for a re-examination of urban planning practice and suggests measures that could be explored to reposition urban planning for effective urban management in Africa.

Keywords

human welfareliveabilitysocio-economic developmenturbanisation challengesurban development
Type
Chapter
Information
Reimagining Urban Planning in Africa , pp. 303 - 324
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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