Assessment of the Impacts of Land Use Regulations on the Expansion of Informal Settlements: A Case Study of Tehran

Shakeri Mansour, Elahe; Gholipour, Yaser; Zali, Nader

doi:10.22034/gahr.2025.515782.2534

Assessment of the Impacts of Land Use Regulations on the Expansion of Informal Settlements: A Case Study of Tehran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Elahe Shakeri mansour ¹

Yaser Gholipour ²

Nader Zali ³

¹ Postdoctoral Researcher in Urban and Regional Planning, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran

² Urban Planning Department, Faculty of Architecture and Art, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

³ Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Art, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

10.22034/gahr.2025.515782.2534

Abstract

Rapid and accelerating urbanization worldwide, particularly in developing countries, has led to the expansion of informal settlements, thereby intensifying urban sustainability challenges. Although poverty is often regarded as the primary cause of this phenomenon, recent studies emphasize that overly rigid and inefficient urban land-use regulations—by driving up land prices and restricting access—force low-income households into informal housing sectors. In Iran, this phenomenon also stems from economic, social, and institutional factors, particularly land-use policies and regulations, which, due to the inefficiency of responsible institutions and the lack of coordination and participation, fail to meet demographic and economic needs. The main objective of this study is to identify and analyze the role of land-use planning systems in the formation and persistence of informal settlements, with the aim of providing a basis for policy revision and proposing more effective solutions. This applied research is descriptive–analytical in nature and method, employing a mixed (quantitative and qualitative) approach to data collection. Components and indicators were derived through documentary studies and qualitative content analysis, and were subsequently validated and refined via a two-round Delphi method involving 53 university professors and experts. For quantitative data analysis and examinationof causal relationships, structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied using Smart PLS software. The structural analysis results revealed that factors suchas de-densification and restrictive land-use regulations, selective enforcement of laws, and limited access to formal land markets have apositive and significant impact on the expansion of informal settlementsin Tehran, whereas complex administrative processes showed no significant effect. The model explained 81.1% of the variance in informal settlement expansion, with a Goodness of Fit (GoF) valueof 0.76, indicating strong predictive power and overall model fit. These findings highlight the importance of reforming regulations, improving access to land, and enhancing participatory approaches as key strategies to address the growth of informal settlements.

Keywords

"؛ landuse"؛ Informal"؛

"؛ Settlement"؛ Identity"؛

"؛ Tehran"

Subjects

others

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