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A R T I C L E I N F O: ABSTRACT
Article history: One of the negative effects of the high rate and pace of urbanisation in developing
Received 23 July 2017 countries is the decay of urban centres. While this decay has eaten deep into the fabric
Accepted 23 August 2017 of these settlements turning them into urban slums and ghettoes with poor
Available online 16 September infrastructure, the effects of the decay are multifarious. Despite the fact that economy
2017 is the “life-wire” of urban centres, its untold downturn consequent upon urban decay
Keywords: is unimaginable because of the relationship that exists between environmental quality
Urban decay; and economic growth. This calls for a proactive approach called urban renewal
Renewal strategy; towards creation of successful urban places. This paper therefore reviews urban
economic growth; renewal strategies and their implications on economic growth with particular focus on
Urban living. Ondo State, Nigeria towards identifying the means of enhancing the sustainability of
its economic proceeds. The study relied on secondary information sources and
discovered that appropriate urban renewal strategies yields corresponding economic
growth. The paper asserts that the urban renewal fit achieved in the state during the
period 2009 to 2012 can be replicated in other states in Nigeria if similar political
willpower is available. The paper recommends the participation of the public combined
with appropriate strategies in urban renewal schemes for the best result and argues in
conclusion that urban renewal is the only feasible solution to the current dwindling
economic sector in Nigeria and other developing economies.
CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS (2018) 2(1), 76-83. Doi: 10.25034/ijcua.2018.3662
www.ijcua.com
Copyright © 2017 Contemporary Urban Affairs. All rights reserved.
use, lack of use, abuse of use, unused and disuse Congestion of transport infrastructure-road and
of urban lands, which develops into slum, blight its precincts in particular, manifesting in
and decay of urban centres, unregulated accidents, hold-up and go-slow (Adedeji,
development of urban fringes, which lead into Fadamiro & Adeoye, 2014). Others include
development of ghetto and squatter settlements human induced disasters like fire outbreak, flood
are among the too-numerous evidences of the and erosion; Inefficient urban infrastructure and
decay in Nigerian urban centres. Others include utilities like power, water, drainage, hospitals,
incidence of urban villages and rise in crime rate, post and telecommunication; Unsanitary
negative impacts of informal economic sector, conditions resulting from poor waste disposal
and congestion of transport corridors, human methods and blockage of drains (where they are
induced disasters like fire outbreak, flood and available); Incidence of destitution,
erosion, incidence of destitution, homelessness, homelessness, overcrowding, poverty crime and
overcrowding, poverty, crime and diseases. The diseases; Landlocked developments resulting
World Bank (2005) attributed this malaise to rapid from unorganized and unregulated new
urbanization, rural-urban migration and decades developments which cause lack of access to
of speedy economic downturn, among others. some land use activities; Lack of adequate data
These conditions will continue unabated except for policy makers, administrators, researchers and
sustainable urban renewal strategies are urban managers; Rural neglect, which results
formulated and implemented in urban centres. from sentimental regional development plans;
Presently, because of the causal relationship Destruction of urban aesthetics as a result of lack
between the quality of the urban environment of organized open space and destruction of
and economic activities, Nigeria is presently informal open spaces. While the national status of
experiencing urbanisation of poverty the problem has been acknowledged, the
(Babanyara1, Usman & Saleh, 2010) in the urban magnitude of its presence in Ondo State cannot
centres. With the increasing scale and pace of be overemphasized.
urbanisation in Nigeria (Fadamiro & Adedeji,
2009; Arenibafo, 2016), the hope for economic 3. Theoretical Framework of Urban Renewal
growth amidst unstable public economic Urban renewal has been described as a
policies, global economic crises and its deliberate effort to change the urban
attendant consequences on developing nations, environment through planned, large-scale
coupled with lip-service attention paid to adjustment of existing city areas to present and
environmental quality issues by the government, future requirements for urban living and working
is dizzy. The outcome is a weak environmental (Grebler, 1965; Osuide, 2004). According to
support for economic activities in urban centres. Tetlow and Goss (1968), it is the elimination of
This paper therefore reviews the impact of urban excessive noises, smells and atmospheric
renewal strategies on economic growth in pollution especially from the residential scene.
Nigeria with focus on Ondo State towards Urban renewal or redevelopment has been
identifying the means of enhancing the considered as a tool to solving the problem of
sustainability of its economic proceeds. This squatter settlement (Aluko & Amidu, 2006) and its
becomes necessary in view of the importance of theories were largely influenced by social,
the economic sector as the major ‘driver’ of economic and historical developments as well as
sustainable human settlements at all spatial city planning movements immediately after the
scales from village to towns, cities, megacities Second World War. Indeed, many countries
and megalopolis. embarked on rebuilding efforts, characterized by
demolition of old dilapidated areas, large-scale
2. The Need for Urban Renewal clearance of city slums and construction of
The myriads of urban problems that have far- modern high- rises after the war (Gbadegesin,
reaching economic implications on the urban Oladokun & Ayorinde, 2011). Often, urban
populace can be identified as follow: Collapsing renewal schemes are fraught with many
existing urban infrastructural facilities or complete challenges which can be grouped into:
lack of them in some urban centres; Increasing
rate of street trading street parking and Physical: The proposed sites for the project may
encroachment on road setbacks by informal possess great challenges to its implementation.
activities as a result of lack of organized markets One of such site constraints is topography in terms
and shopping centres/shopping malls; of great differences between existing road levels
and areas of possible extension. In a number of redevelopment efforts have been criticized for
cases, there may be road meanders and possible neglecting the complexities of the urban fabric; it
encroachment into natural elements like rivers, is not only uneconomical, but also damages the
streams and water ways are needed to be city’s heritage and degrades various socio –
overcome. Not only that, the volume of existing environmental qualities. As described by Waque
services installation to be relocated may be high. and Hirji (2005), urban intensification produces a
These include electricity, water supply mains and diversity of densely packaged, highly valued
communication installations. economic interests.
According to Olusule (2010), five procedural
Social: Urban renewal projects have always been steps are necessary to be followed to accomplish
fraught with social implications. This is due to the a desirable urban renewal exercise for the
change of land use from private to public and community. They are; acquisition of land in
reclamation of public open spaces that have accordance with the plan, relocation of residents
been encroached upon for private use. from the acquired building into satisfactory
Therefore, the required accompanying quarters, site clearance – the razing of the
demolition of residences, commercial buildings, structures on the land may be carried out only
temporary structures and other physical elements after the quality of such structures have been
usually attract public criticism by the affected. A determined, site improvements and supporting
strategic public re-orientation concerning the facilities and services are undertaken by the
many benefits of the projects is a sure antidote agency and land may be built upon by agency
even though the government has its entire or sold to original owners if compensations have
implementation instrument at disposal. been paid. Urban renewal has also been linked
with the sustainable provision of basic amenities
Political: Political opponents who are not as such as water, and electricity (Vander & Graaf,
visionary and courageous as the incumbent 2010; Newman, 2001; Ashley, Blackwood, Butler,
government may raise unguarded alarms to Davies, Jowitt & Smith, 2004). The provision and
distract the government from its renewal goals of continuous means of management of urban
the cities. Public campaign and non-partial renewal products should also be part of the
implementation concerning the demolition of all programme.
affected physical structures on the sites is crucial
to putting to silence all “Sanballat and Tobiah”. 4. Urban Renewal Strategies
There are three basic Urban Renewal
Cultural: One of the usual challenges to urban Strategies (Carmona, Heath, Oc, & Tiesdell,
renewal schemes is the presence of cultural 2010). These are: Comprehensive
artefacts like shrines, historical emblems, Redevelopment, which can be applied to a
graveyards, among others, along the re- structure or a cluster of structures where
development paths. This problem can become a obsolescence and decay is absolute. It is
stepping stone to project implementation by otherwise called complete demolition and
inclusive design approaches in majority where reconstruction; Rehabilitation or Renovation,
necessary. which is the process of neigbourhood
revitalization by removing worst structures
Economic: The capital requirement for urban repairing and constructing streets with additional
renewal projects is usually awesome. This is made parks and public utilities; Conservation, which
up of necessary compensations, project fund concerns preservation of urban items with
and post-construction management. This historic, cultural, aesthetic and architectural
problem could be overcome by a phased- values.
approach to project implementation and The three can be broken down into action
overshot by the numerous benefits of the project plan, which include the following (Wahab,
aside from the prospect of revenue generation Adedokun &Onibokun, 1990; World Bank, 1996):
from some of its components which is a long-term (1) Acquisition of a slum area or a blighted area
advantage. or portion thereof; (2) Demolition and removal of
Large-scale redevelopment creates buildings and improvements; (3) Installation,
many social problems and encourages many city construction or reconstruction of streets, utilities,
planners and scholars to question its effects and parks, playgrounds, and other improvements
functionalities. Indeed, large scale renewal and necessary in the urban renewal area the urban
Table 2. Data on major market developments in Ondo State as urban renewal products.
S Location Size Operation No of No of Available Facilities Major Wares In Operation
/ Ope Lock Up The Market al
N n Stalls Coverage
Stall
1 NEPA 5,100 Daily 192 24 Pipe-borne water, toilet, Mainly food Neighbo
Neighbourh m2 admin. block, parking, stuffs and urhood
ood Market security post, canteen general
(Akure) provision
2 NEPA Main 1.325 Daily - 275 Admin block, crèche, Varieties City wide
Market Hec canteen, security post, pipe
(Akure) borne water, toilet
3 Isikan 1.79 Daily 336 Admin block, pipe borne Varieties City wide
Phases I Hec 150 water, toilet, security post, mainly food
and II electricity items and
clothing
4 Ikare 2.13 Daily 520 - Cold rooms, water supply, Mainly food Regional
Hec electricity supply, livestock items, textiles, coverag
section, milling section, and kitchen e up to
grains section utensils Ekiti and
Edo
States
5 Okitipupa 2.00 Daily 531 108 Cold room, toilets, security Food stuff, City wide
Hec post, admin block, fire sub- general
station, canteen provision,
textile, kitchen
utensils etc.
6 Ondo 3.267 Daily 252 - Admin block, water supply, Textiles, food City wide
(Moferere) Hec toilets, security post, fire stuff, general
station, fire station, waste provision,
disposal management unit kitchen
utensils
7 Igbokoda 2.83 Daily 932 150 Clinic, cold rooms, police Food stuff, Internati
Hec post, canteen, water supply, various types onal with
toilets, admin block, etc. of fresh and influence
smoked fish, along
textile, kitchen West
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