The Effect of Urban Growth on Land-Use: A Case Study of Balıkesir

Abstract

Burgess defines the urban growth as "the expansion radially from its central business district by a series of concentric circles", and he mentions that social, economic and geographical conditions are shaping these circular systems. In this context, although different dynamics and models exist between countries and regions, similar parameters are used for the morphological examination of the development of urban space.

In the scope of the research, Balıkesir was examined in detail through the urban growth process, land-use changes in the urban fringe. Differentiating urban pattern and peripheral land-use have been evaluated from the viewpoint of the Conzen. The findings were obtained through a comparative analysis of historical and current city maps, satellite images, archive records.

According to the analysis conducted in Balıkesir, it is seen that the geographical factors such as Çamlık Hill, Çay stream bed and the transpor- tation strategies (railroads and highways) played an active role in shaping the city's macro form. Conzen, while examining the city of Alnwick, mentions urban fringes and peripheral land-uses, which includes functions such as industrial areas, institutions, community services, small houses etc. These kind of areas are thresholds of urban space and make the historical development of the city legible. Although it is not possible for a town like Balıkesir to contain all the morphological phenomena, it is observed that peripheral land-use of the town has changed with urban growth. Especially during the Republican period, the urbanization and industrialization policies implemented and increased the investments in the city, industrial buildings such as Cement and Cotton Weaving Factory and military areas were established in the large areas around the urban periphery. At that time, the urban cemetery in the southeast of the city was transformed into a recreational space. Balıkesir developed around the historic center until the 1950s, after that, new settlement areas were formed, and the city continued to grow in the north and southeast direction with the effect of increasing population. This situation made essential the change of functions in the urban fringe and necessitated the relocation of small-scale industrial buildings and some social services to outskirts of the current city. As a result of the study, land-uses in urban fringe should be seen as essential elements in the structure of city, planning policies should be established with the awareness of urban fringe, and function change decisions should be made through the understanding of quality urban space rather than economic concerns.