Neighbours matter: a micro-scale indicator of settlement structure assessing urban dispersion and planning effectiveness

Moving toward a land-use approach that focuses on settlement structure, the present study introduces an indicator of compactness based on the evolution over time of the number of detached buildings in total stock at local scale. Assuming the modalities of settlement expansion as dependent on the interplay among socioeconomic aspects, territorial constraints and planning regulations, the spatial relationship between this indicator and a vast set of contextual variables was studied at the level of municipalities in a representative case of Mediterranean Europe (Athens, Greece) during both economic expansion (late-1990s) and recession (late-2000s). Results documented a trend toward settlement compaction along the Athens’ fringe. Processes of settlement compaction were more evident in municipalities with a town master plan enforced in law. By reconnecting a morphological analysis of urban fabric with a functional characterization of metropolitan regions, our study suggests the importance of spatial planning regulating dispersed urbanization in contexts where informal settlements had reflected the dominant pattern of urban growth for decades.