Urban expansion has become a widespread trend in developing countries. Road networks are an extremely important factor driving the expansion of urban land and require further study. To investigate the relationship between road networks and urban expansion, we selected Beijing, New York, London, and Chicago as study areas. First, we obtained urban land use vector data through image interpretation using a remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) platform and then used overlay analysis to extract information on urban expansion.

Geoffrey Payne outlines five fundamental propositions that are key to his understanding of tenure issues and policy options.

These are:

1) That access to affordable land with adequate security of tenure and associated rights is a pre-condition for realising the goal of adequate housing and poverty reduction;

En el presente artículo se exponen algunas claves para comprender las dinámicas de urbanización promovidas por el neoliberalismo en la ciudad de Puebla, en la región centro de México, a partir del análisis de algunas políticas recientes, como las de 1) privatización del servicio de agua; 2) despojo de tierras y reordenamiento del territorio en la zona de Angelópolis para la construcción de nuevos desarrollos inmobiliarios y; 3) mercantilización del patrimonio del Centro Histórico en función del sector turismo.

The global ‘land grab’ debate is going urban and needs a specific conceptual framework to analyze the diverse modalities through which land commodification and speculation are transforming cities across the globe. This article identifies new avenues for research on urban land issues by drawing on an extensive body of academic literature and concrete cases of urban land transformations in Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Urban population growth and the accompanying urban growth and expansion are seen as the main problems of metropolitan cities; this keeps the issues of how to consider the social, economic, spatial and environmental dimensions of cities within the framework of a concept of sustainability, and how to shape cities within this context, on the agenda. In today’s world, cities are accepted as the main hubs of energy consumption and environmental pollution, as centers of capital, culture and innovation, and as the places of residence of millions of people.

This paper proposes that, different though they are, the processes of urban development in China and the UK can be analytically compared by looking at the commonly occurring opposition and resistance to that development. Such opposition and resistance can delay and limit the development of land in and immediately surrounding cities.

A defining feature of many of the world’s cities is an outward expansion far beyond formal administrative boundaries, largely propelled by the use of the automobile, poor urban and regional planning and land speculation. A large proportion of cities both from developed and developing countries have high consuming suburban expansion patterns which often extend to even further peripheries. Cities need to accommodate new and thriving urban functions such as transportation routes, etc. as they expand.

This policy note presents an analysis of and recommendations on the city competitiveness improvement and is part of a broader Philippines urbanization study. The analysis draws on the competitive city framework which includes four pillars: 1. institutions and regulations; 2. infrastructure and land; 3. skills and innovation; 4. enterprise support and finance. It analyzes factors that constrain city competiveness, the role that city governments can play, and provides policy recommendations based on both the Filipino and international good practices in promoting city competitiveness.

This policy note assesses the performance of existing land administration and management (LAM) system in the Philippines in creating an environment for competitive cities. It looks at the influence of LAM (including property rights) in the proper functioning of land markets in urban areas; the effectiveness of land use planning and regulations in shaping urban growth, reducing informality, and improving efficiency in use of space; and the impacts of property valuation and taxation practices in generating revenues to finance local development plans.

This policy note discusses strengthening institutions for urban and metropolitan management and service delivery and is part of a broader Philippines urbanization study. Strong institutions are critical to the effective management of cities, the delivery of efficient urban services and infrastructure, and the establishment of an enabling environment for business and job creation.

In the accelerating process of urbanization and social transition era, industrialization, urbanization and construction of urban-rural integration also inevitably leads to the land expropriation, land conflicts have become important issues in the development process.