URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING (ELECTIVE)

Year: IV Semester: VIII

A. Course Objectives

a) To provide general and theoretical knowledge about urban and regional planning
b) To provide knowledge about urban design, and housing, traditional and modern practices and integrated rural development
c) To train to carry out the plan of small urban and rural areas

B. Course Content

1. Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning (3 hours)

1.1. Brief explanation of the concept of planning
1.2. Importance of planning in the overall perspective of the growth of human settlements, Protection of environment and heritage conservation
1.3. Role of surveyors

2. Introduction to Urban settlements -- rural and Urban (4 hours)

2.1. Importance of the study of human settlements to gain insights to data the complexity of the mechanism of planning methodologies
2.2. The classic patterns of growth of human settlements:

• Rectilinear Grid configuration growth mainly on the riverside flood lands
• Circular configuration growth, which was essentially refraction of lifestyle of hunter, herdsmen and warrior
• Radio-centric configuration growth, which resulted from circular from growing outward radiantly with- gradually
• Linear configuration growth, which was mainly restricted to sites along the river bank and arterial trade routes
  2.3. Factors that promoted growth of human settlement: Climatic conditions; physical features; availability of resources, especially value resources; location innovation
  2.4. An overview of some historical settlements to understand the interaction of various growth factors

3. Traditional Urban Design and Rural Spatial Systems (3 hrs)

3.1. Explanation of the morphology of rural settlements and regional spatial systems
3.2. Tracing the beginning of traditional urban design in Nepal
3.3. Special emphasis on the urban growth of the three main urban centres of the Kathmandu valley; Kathmandu Patan and Bhaktapur, explaining now the main urban features have been interwoven into interesting urban forms
3.4. Focus on the Darbar Squares as exemplary historical urban design

4. Introduction of Modern Practices an Urban and Regional Planning (8 hours)

4.1. An overview of some of the modern practices in urban and regional planning with relevant example
4.2. Highlighting the complexity of modern practices as related to urban and regional planning
4.3. Spatial data base requirement and utility of GIS and RS in planning

5. Various Essential Features of Urban and Regional Planning (5 hours)

5.1. Population studies as an event to urban and regional planning. Population structure, their distribution, growth, employment and forecast
5.2. Employment patterns: types of employment basic and non-basic, that impact on the economy, circulation systems to centre to the employment patterns, other services
5.3. Transportation system: their types and patterns; Regional system and urban modes; Alternative system: - gravity model
5.4. Urban utilities water supply and drainage, sewerage and sanitation, electricity etc
5.5. Bio physical and environmental parameters

• Sustainable uses of land
• Environmental conservation

6. Housing (5 hours)

6.1. Explanation of housing within the context of urban and regional planning
6.2. Housing: Types private housing, housing for low income group, site and service etc
6.3. Power issue to address housing problems, affordability access to land, building codes and housing standards
6.4. Infrastructure development
6.5. Architecture

7. Integrated Rural Development and Rural Centres (10 hours)

7.1. Rural Development
7.2. Core elements of rural systems
7.3. Evolution of IRDP
7.4. Programme formulation and implementation

• Programme organisation and design
• Decentralisation and community participation
  7.5. Land pooling, integrated land development, site and services on urban area

8. Legislation on planning (2 hours)

9. Planning practices (5 hours)

Planning of a VDC/ Municipal ward

Exercise:

Six assignments. Planning of a VDC/ Municipal ward

Recommended Reading and Reference Books

1. Arthor B. Gallion and Simon Frasirer - City planning and Design, the Urban pattern
2. Paul d. Spreiragen. "Urban Design"
3. The Architecture of towns and cities
4. Wolfgang Korn. ,The Traditional Architecture of Kathmandu Valley"
5. McGrow Hill, TheDewberry Companies, Land Development Handbook - Planning, Engineering and Surveying, 2002
6. Urban Planning Guide, American Society of Civil Engineers, 1969

Examination Scheme

Model questions

Very short questions (4*2)

1. Define theory of planning
2. What do you mean by urbanization?
3. Define regional planning
4. What do you mean by housing?

Short questions (8*4)

1. Describe the role of surveyors in urban and regional planning
2. Describe the factors that promoted the human settlement
3. Explain the traditional urban design in Nepal
4. How does GIS contribute to effective urban land use planning?
5. Explain the environmental parameters for urban and regional planning
6. Explain the housing for low income group
7. Describe the land pooling for settlement
8. Describe the planning procedure in municipality ward

Long questions (2*10)

1. What do you mean by Rural development? Describe the evolution of Integrated Rural Development Program
2. Explain the basic and non-basic spatial data base and utility of GIS and remote sensing on regional planning
   OR
   Describe briefly the legislation on planning in Nepal on Urban Development Act 2045