Crisis, Chaos, Crunch? Planning for Urban Growth in the Developing World

Urban development within the developing world was, until just over a decade ago, seen primarily as the responsibility of government. A shift has taken place from the traditional approach of centralised, top-down decision-making to one in which government's role involves the creation of an environment which enables urban residents to solve many of their own problems. This shift not only involves new responsibilities for urban residents, but for government, particularly local authorities, as well. Four problems are singled out for detailed consideration. The first of these is shelter. Although it is increasingly recognised that governments should not be in the business of providing houses for people, misdirected policies of imposing unaffordable standards and inappropriate approaches have the effect of preventing the urban poor in developing nations from solving their own problem. A consideration of urban service provision in such cities underlines the need to involve the community itself in the planning and supply of such services. A crucial constraint on meeting the financial demands for the provision of shelter and services is found in the official discouragement that is frequently directed toward informal-sector employment which comprises a significant proportion of all employment opportunity. Tolerance of this sector is a prerequisite for sustainability. Finally, the case is made for deriving local solutions to local urban problems within both the areas of urban physical planning and urban development projects. The paper concludes that appropriate policies must be adopted by governments which involve local communities in the planning process. As each sector interacts with others, comprehensiveness is required for any feasible and sustainable solution .