International Union of Local Authorities Urbanization in Developing Countries Report of a symposium, held in December 1967, at Noordwijk, Netherlands 1986 Springer-Science+Business Media, B.V
ISBN 978-94-017-5632-7 ISBN 978-94-017-5882-6 (ebook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-5882-6 Copyright 1968 by Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht Originally pub1ished by Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Netheriands in 1986.
Table of contents REPORT OF THE SYMPOSIUM 5 FOREWORD 7 I. THE URBAN SETTING 11 1. Trends and Patterns of Urbanization 2. Factors causing Urbanization 3. The Consequences of Urbanization 11. A POLICY FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT 19 1. The Need for anational Policy of Urban Development 2. Strategies for Urban Development 111. THE PLANNING PROCESS 23 1. Stages in the Planning Process 2. Coordination of Planning at Various Levels 3. Coordination of Planning between Sectors - Comprehensive Planning 4. The Contents of Urban Planning 5. Research and Information for Urban Planning IV. FROM PLAN FORMULATION TO PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 33 1. The Relationship between Planning Agencies and Implementation Agencies 2. Th~ Translation of Plans into Programmes 3. The Phasing of Programmes over Time 4. The Project Gap V. THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF URBAN 39 DEVELOPMENT PLANS 1. Legislation for the Implementation of Urban Plans 2. The Administrative Structure for the Implementation of Urban Plans 3. Training for Urban Administration and Planning VI. TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR IMPLEMENTATION 47 1. Financial Aspects of Implementation 2. Information Systems as Tools for Implementation 3. Techniques of Reporting, Evaluation and Review of Plans 4. Urban Land Policy
VII. THE ROlE OF local AUTHORITIES 55 1. The Potential Role of Local Government 2. Reforms needed in Urban Local Government 3. Citizen Participation OPENING STATEMENT 60 SElECTED WORKING PAPERS 65 J. P. Thijsse The Process of Urbanization 67 J. Tinbergen Links between National Planning and Town and Country Planning 73 M. G. Kutty Metropolitan and Regional Planning - Problems of Organization 81 E. Weissmann Relationship of Planning and Implementation 97 A. A. Solow Tools and Techniques for Implementation of Urban Planning 107 J. Kruczala The Essential Means for the Implementation of Plans 127 A. Kerever City Planning in France 141 L. Sternstein Planning in Bangkok : Some Drawbacks 149 H. J. Cole Integrated Metropolitan Development in Brazii 153 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 163 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 175
Report
Foreword This is the report on the 'Symposium on Urbanization in Developing Countries', organized by the International Union of Local Authorities and held in December 1967, at Noordwijk in the Netherlands. Many discussions on urbanization in developing countries tend to concentrate on the immediate environmental problems caused by excessive urban growth in the cities of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Such problems are posed most obviously and directly by the appalling physical and social conditions in which people are condemned to live, in terms of slums, shanty towns, congested centres, malnutrition, lack of sanitation, social unrest and political conflict. The causes of this process of urbanization are to be found in the high rate of natural increase and a large-scale migration towards the cities in the context of an environment with an extreme scarcity of resources. Possible solutions of these problems are proposed in terms of a better distribution of basic facilities and urban services, and the creation of more stable political and social conditions. Instead of looking upon urbanization as a process of urban growth causing a number of problems that need to be solved, another approach has recently come to the fore which is interested in how this process of urbanization might be influenced so as to bring about development. The meaning of urbanization itself is undergoing change: the concept of urbanization as a process of urban growth is being replaced by one of urbanization as a process or instrument of social change and development. In fact, this reflects a change in thinking about development in general, in the sense that it is now realized that improvement of human and social conditions is aprerequisite for balanced and sufficiently rapid economic growth. As the development process advances, more and more national development policies will be influenced, if not determined, by urban development. One of the main conclusions of this symposium is therefore the need to create national policies for urban development as an integrative part of the development process. Much attention was paid to the analysis of the planning process for urban development and two aspects in particular were given detailed examination: - the coordination of physical urban planning with economic development planning at the local regional and national levels: and - the administrative structure and tools and techniques for the implementation of urban development plans. The final report consists of three parts: firstly, a comprehensive presen- 7
tation of the subject matter of the symposium on the basis of background papers, discussion reports and other relevant material. Secondly, a selection of papers which were prepared by various authors as a basis for discussion. Thirdly, the conclusions and recommendations which were adopted by the symposium participants on the basis of reports made by three working groups. The organization of this symposium which was attended by planners, government officials, scientists and politicians from 15 countries, was made possible by the generous support of the Netherlands Government which financed the preparation and execution of the symposium under its technical assistance programme. The International Union of Local Authorities wishes to express its sincere gratitude for this support and thank all those officials of the Ministry concerned who so pleasantly cooperated during the preparation of the symposium. From the very beginning IULA intended to take into account the work previously done in the field of urbanization in developing countries and to take up the discussion where it had been broken off by former international conferences and seminars. Throughout the preparation of the symposium, the IULA secretariat was assisted by the Advisory Board, which met several times under the able chairmanship of Mr. J. P. ThUsse, Professor Emeritus of Comprehensive Planning at the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague. Professor ThUsse moreover took a very active part in the discussions during the symposium and was kind enough to comment upon the drafts of the final report, for which IULA wants to record its sincere gratefulness. The meetings of the symposium were chaired by Mr. Ernest Weissmann, Senior Advisor on Regional Development, Office of Technical Cooperation, United Nations, who has managed to direct contributions made by participants of so many disciplines into a coherent pattern of discussion. During the symposium the participants made trips to the Province of Zeeland, the RUnmond metropolitan area and the cities of Rotterdam and Delft, where they studied local and regional planning. Our thanks are due to the representatives of the local, metropolitan and provincial authorities who made these trips possible, thus contributing to the success of the symposium. 8 In addition to the papers reproduced in the second part, two other working papers were prepared by Mr. G. F. Daniel, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Ghana and Mr. F. Renssen, Advisor in the Town Planning Department, Ministry of Lands and Settlement, Kenya.
and sent out in advance to all participants. Unfortunately, neither of these officials was able to attend the symposium, but their ideas and comments have been taken into account. In addition, Mr. Emil J. Sady, Chief, Local Government Section, Public Administration Division, United Nations, presented the first draft of a classification for the comparative analysis of common problems of urban planning and administration, and Mr. Ernest Weissmann submitted a second introductory paper on the causes and consequences of urbanization in the developing world. Both these contributions have been extensively used in the preparation of the final report. Mr. Michael Faltas, formerly Director of Research of the IULA secretariat, has cooperated during the conceptual phase of preparations for the symposium, and moreover prepared a background paper entitled 'Urbanization and Development: the Integration of Urban and National Planning in Modernizing Societies', which has been of great use in the preparation of the final report. His initial interest and assistance were of considerable value to the final results of the symposium. Mr. E. Kalk, Research Officer at the IULA Secretariat, wrote a background paper on plan implementation. He not only carried most of the burden of organizing the Symposium but also is responsible for writing the present report. In this task, Mrs. J. Sanders kindly providededitorial assistance. To all those who have contributed to the success of the symposium and the publication of this report, we extend our sincerest thanks. We express the hope that the information contained in this volume will be of use to planners and administrators, politicians and citizens and students who are trying to solve the many problems presented by the urbanization process in the developing countries. Secretary-General J. G. van Putten 9