Abstract:
Land suitability analysis has growing importance in identifying suitable land resource for some
specific uses. However, site analysis by its nature is the complex process and involves consideration of multi-criteria decision making limited not only to physical condition of urban land-uses,
but more attention should be given to integrate socio-economic and environmental factors. Due to
the dynamic urban growth trends, city administrators and planners are faced with difficulties in
supplying suitable urban residential housing. GIS based Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) and
Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) provides a wide range of powerful tools capable to transforms, combines sophisticated geographical data with value judgments among conflicting criteria
along with sets of alternatives. The main objective of the study was assessing the current site selection practice and identifying the main criteria for residential housing development, generating
suitability map and evaluating LULC change for the study period 2002-2022. The study uses both
primary and secondary data sources like expert interview, literature and Geospatial data, Structural plan and cadastral survey data). The influencing weight among factors has been computed
using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in IDRISI 32 software. The internal factors that cast a
shadow image on the quality of the current residential housing development plan preparation were
the experience and skill gap of the plan preparation team that caused for the proposal of existing
wetland site for residential land, existing industrial area for settlement and proposing residential
area on slope greater than 250 rise. To analyze housing suitability Nine factors; Slope, LU/LC,
Road, airport, waste disposal, City center, Rivers, Social Amenities like Schools and Population
were evaluated and prioritized as per judgment of urban planning experts. Finding of the study
clearly reveals that the city has dramatically grown in all directions , Built-up area increased a
lot and Result from suitability analysis shows that, about 2084.98ha (20.89%), 7402.47ha (74.3%),
492.06, ha (4.93%), of the total urban landscape of the study area is, high suitable, moderately
suitable and low suitable respectively for residential housing development. For urban resident the
way of planning should be shifted from the previous simple subdivision plans to GIS-MCE and
AHP technology.
