Situating the compliance with land use regulations within the context of sustainable city development: Lessons from Ho Municipality of Ghana

Abstract

Urbanizing in cities in the global south continues to reshape land use systems. Consequently, theuncontrolled rate of urbanization in cities such as Ho in Ghana, continues to threaten the sustainability of urban natural assets and agricultural lands. Although there are existing land use regulations and guidelines to guide and control development, the enforcement of these regulations continues to face major challenges. In light of this, this study evaluates the effectiveness of land use regulations in the Ho Municipality and its implications for sustainable city development. In this study, the researchers relied on both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected through interviews with representatives of institutions such as the Lands Commission, the Traditional Council, and the Ho Municipal Assembly. In terms secondary data, base maps of the study areas, Medium-Term Development Plans, the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925) and the Zoning Guidelines and Planning Standards were reviewed, serving as tge framework for the assessment of the extent of compliance. Overall, the findings points to a complex combination of compliance and non-compliance with land use regulations. Whereas compliance with land use regulations and activities in the study areas tend to promote sustainability,non-compliance with these regulations on the other hand threatens urban sustainability. For example, in the Ho Poly Area, there was no evidence of encroachment of the buffer zones of overhead power lines and arterial roads. This indicates that there is compliance with land use regulations, and this has positive implications for the sustainability of the city. However, there were no provisions for urban green spaces in the neighbourhood plan, which raises concerns on the ecological and general sustainability of the city. On this backdrop, the researchers recommend stricter enforcement and the adoption of effective urban planning strategies such as institutional collaboration to achieve sustainable city development. Additionally, adopting emerging techniques such as big data, machine learning, and IoT for urban planning and management in these Ghanaian cities can enhance sustainable development.