GIS application for environmentally sustainable land use planning for Colombo urban area, special reference to Maharagama pradeshiya sabha

Abstract

Land use management and policy decisions are almost always based on the analysis of the factors pertaining to each particular issue. When considering the sustainable development of land, land use change management is an important phenomenon.. The content of land use change management can be described in terms of three value sets (ecological, social and market values) that must be brought into balance by land planning. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a powerful tool for land use planners in their effort to make land development processes more efficient and attractive. A GIS is able to display vacant or marginal land and to monitor how they change over time consequent on the implementation of land development process Recent developments of models in geographic information systems have been drawn upon concepts of fuzzy set theory and multi-criteria methodology. Saaty's Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is compatible with both these research directions. This paper demonstrates the application of fuzzy set theory and multi-criteria evaluation in GIS for urban land evaluation. We attempt to apply this method for land evaluation in Colombo urban area. In this case we select only one case study, in Colombo Urban Area. The results indicate the future land requirements and allocations in case study area so that planner can make sound judgment on land allocation.