Abstract

Today, paying attention to the capacities and capabilities of a place such as a region, province or country for the rational development of that place represents the true concept of planning. Therefore, in order to prevent issues such as environmental crisis, erosion, soil degradation, uneven urban growth, etc., it seems necessary to formulate land planning plans in order to achieve the goals of comprehensive national and urban development strategies. The aim of the present study is to examine land planning and its role in the sustainable development of metropolises (case study: Urmia metropolis). This research is applied-theoretical in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of method. The required information and data have been collected through library and field methods. In this study, geographical tools and techniques, GIS software, and the DEMETL and ANP techniques have been used. Given the challenges in this metropolis, including unbalanced growth, environmental pollution and resource limitations, the need to pay attention to land planning is felt more than ever. In this study, using DEMATEL and ANP multi-criteria decision-making techniques, the factors affecting land use planning and sustainable development have been identified and prioritized. The results show that optimal water resource management, development of sustainable transportation infrastructure, and improvement of socio-economic indicators are among the most important factors in achieving sustainable development in Urmia metropolis. The findings of this study can help urban planners and policymakers to formulate appropriate strategies for land use planning and sustainable development of this metropolis.