THE APPLICABILITY OF LAND READJUSTMENT MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN FORM: The Case of Addis Ababa Inner-City Redevelopment

The compact city concept, which promotes high-density, mixed-use urban form, social mixites and efficient urban mobility, has recently been advocated for achieving sustainability in urban form. As a result of the rapid population growth and dwindling land resources due to unsustainable sprawl, cities' land management policies increasingly placing more emphasis on brownfield re-use. Land Readjustment is an urban development technique in which the private sector works with local governments to assemble land and develop physical and social infrastructure. Owners or groups of owners will pool land parcels for development under this concept, making them partners in the development process, as per defined norms and criteria. In comparison to eminent domain or expropriation, land readjustment would provide two significant socio-economic benefits, including the preservation of social, cultural, and economic networks that are closely tied to a physical location through original community maintenance and the realization of equitable cost and benefit distribution. In response to the challenge, and in recognition of the potential benefits of using land readjustment to achieve a sustainable urban form in Addis Ababa's inner city, the purpose of this research is to first investigate the characteristics and impact of prior inner-city redevelopment initiatives, then to identify and develop an implementation framework and finally to identify an applicable land readjustment model of a successful implementation of Land readjustment in the city. The research uses a survey research methodology with mixed method approaches. Primary data is collected using both interview and questionnaires survey instruments as well as a rigorous systematic literature review for secondary data source. Qualitative data is consolidated, categorized and evaluated to characterize the previous redevelopment endeavor, develop an applicable land readjustment model, and qualify the implementation framework. According to the study findings, former urban renewal efforts caused urban dwellers to face challenges such as losing social and informal contacts, business links, locational advantages, and jobs. Furthermore, residents of inner city settlements that are slated for renovation are concerned about being relocated. In addition, the study identifies the relative-size redistribution model as a viable option and provides a framework for its successful implementation in future Addis Ababa inner-city redevelopment projects. Subsequently based on the findings the adoption of land readjustment for future inner-city redevelopment initiative would address challenges related to development induced relocation and the application of the planning tool requires a flexible approach for a given development site and demand to be participatory and requires to capacity building for implementing bodies.