| dc.description.abstract | Uncontrolled land use change carries serious spatial challenges to the stability of peri urban areas in the form of land use conflicts, incompatible and incongruent land uses, haphazard developments and a disorganized land structure. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial stability of peri-urban areas using the land use change concept. The objectives were; to assess the extent of land use changes in peri-urban areas of Siaya Township Ward between 1987 and 2017 and its impact on spatial stability; to evaluate the effectiveness of planning tools in managing the peri-urban land use change process; and, to interrogate the land use change management framework for peri-urban areas. Urban management theories, spatial location theories and decision-making theories guided the research. Data collection methods included Maps, Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) for land use change detection and relating the land use change and spatial patterns over time. Questionnaires and interviews were used to assess effectiveness of land use change management tools and interrogating the land use change management framework for peri-urban areas. Maps, matrices and descriptive statistics ware used for presentation of results and to present the framework for peri-urban land use change management. It was hypothesized that there is no significant variance in land use change between
1987 and 2017, and that there is no significant difference between the prescribed land use planning standards and the applied standards in peri-urban areas of Siaya Township Ward. To this end, GIS and Remote sensing techniques were used for land use change detection while Paired Sample t-test was used to test the corresponding hypothesis that there is no significant variance in land use change between 1987 and 2017. Chi Square test was used to test the association between prescribed land use planning standards and the applied standards. The study found significant land use change in peri-urban areas in the period 1987-2017. Built up areas in Nyandiwa increased by 444.3%, Mulaha by 339.2%, and Karapul increased by 48.6% respectively between 1987 and 2017, showing rapid expansion of built-up areas for the period of 30 years. Test of hypothesis between bare land and built-up areas indicated a statistically significant relationship (t = 3.237, p =.048) thus, the alternative hypothesis was rejected. Results for built-up areas to vegetation (t= -1.949, p =.146); and bare land to vegetation (t = -.691, p =.539) all of which indicated no evidence of any differences between the categories, thus, the null hypothesis was accepted at 95% confidence level. The Chi square test demonstrated that despite there being a clear manifest variance in development compliance, there is no association between prescribed land use planning standards and the applied standards in the categories of low-density developments and the medium density residential development. However, in the high-density residential category, the test results indicated a strong association with a P-Value of 0.297. The study concludes that peri-urban planning must ride on a
framework that gives priority to spatial integrity and a recognition of peri-urban region as part of the urban fabric. The results of this study are useful to policy makers, researches and academicians in understanding the peri-urban and use change dynamics and their future spatial structure. It contributes to the existing body of knowledge on planning and managing land use change in peri urban places. | en_US |