Eighth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Studies have established that urbanization is one of the defining features of the 21st century. As a result, global populations have been rising rapidly. Estimates indicate that more than 50% of the population in the world will reside in Urban Areas by 2025. Urbanization growth rate in the world is estimated at an average of 2.7 percent per year between 1950 and 2011. This period witnessed an almost five-fold increase in the global urban population from 0.75 to 3.63 billion, increasing the level of urbanization from 29 percent in 1950 to 52.1 percent in 2011. Rapid urbanization has adversely affected development efforts in many cities. One of these is changes in land use leading to decreased urban farmlands for the provision of residential accommodation in most urban settlements. This is reflected in the decrease of vacant dwellings and increase in accommodation density. It is against this background that this study sought to examine the changing pattern of urban land use on the development of Wa Township. The study adopted the case study approach with stratified and purposive sampling techniques serving as the basis for selecting respondents. Data obtained from respondents were analyzed and information provided the basis for the recommendation. It was revealed that there have been massive changes in the pattern of land use within Wa as a result of urbanization between 1986 and 2016. Inadequate resources/ logistics and political interference are some of the challenges confronting the institution concern with land management.