CONFORMITY OF URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS WITH PHYSICAL PLANNING STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS IN OGUN STATE
UWALA, VINCENT. A. & LASISI, A. LUKMAN, Volume 3 Issue 1, 2020 Pages 48-58, Published: 2020-09-25
Abstract
Urban renewal in developing countries is majorly a governmental programme that aims at improving the quality of life of urban residents. In achieving thisaim, the compliance of such programme with physical planning standards and regulations is sacrosanct. Thus, the study assessed the compliance of urban renewal projects in Ogun state with physical planning standards and regulations. The objectives include check listing of urban renewal projects in Ogun state in the last five (5) years, reviewing of existing physical planning standards and regulations as they relate to the identified projects and investigating of the compliance of such project therewith. Data used for this study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Abeokuta metropolis was purposely selected because of the concentration of urban renewal projects in the capital city. Two (2) officials of urban renewal and development control department were interviewed using unstructured questionnaire. However, for infrastructural survey, all the twenty-two (22) identified urban renewals projects were assessed with the use of a checklist to ascertain their compliance with physical planning standards and regulations. Findings revealed that road construction and expansion accounted for 36.4%, this is followed by construction of flyovers which accounted for 31.8%, construction of schools accounted for 9.1% while markets and pedestrian bridges accounted for 13.6% and 9.1% respectively. Only 20% of the structures constructed in the markets comply with the minimum setback from the road. Parking spaces were not provided in Itoko livestock market, Sapon and Omida market which accounted for 60%. Furthermore, it was revealed that urban renewal project proposals were not submitted to the physical planning authority for approval as stipulated by Section 32 of Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning Law 2005. Thus, the study therefore concludes that there is low compliance of urban renewal projects in Ogun Stateto physical planning laws and regulations. It is therefore recommended that governments at all levels should lead by example in all its physical planning projects by subjecting them to planning approval procedure to ensure conformity of such project with physical planning standards.