Keywords
urban sprawl
GIS
DBSCAN
areas for infill development
How to Cite
Abstract
The focus of this research is on the spatial evolution of the built environment within the Greater Poland Voivodeship, spanning from 2014 to 2023. The recent amendments to legal frameworks governing spatial planning in Poland are designed to mitigate the emergence of uncoordinated and haphazard development, promoting instead the formation of densely urbanized areas. Within this context, the purpose of this study is to assess the evolution of construction activities in Greater Poland, specifically evaluating whether they have resulted in more compact clusters or if new developments have exacerbated urban sprawl. To achieve this, a comparative analysis of the built environment in 2014 versus 2023 was performed utilizing the DBSCAN algorithm. This algorithm is a density-based clustering method that identifies areas with a higher density of structures relative to their surroundings. For the purposes of this analysis, criteria were set to a minimum of 500 buildings, with a maximum permissible inter-structure distance of 1,000 meters. Building data was sourced from the BDOT10k database. The analysis revealed a 10% growth in the built-up area across Greater Poland from 2014 to 2023, with an approximately 20% rise in the number of buildings forming clusters and a 2% rise in those outside clusters. However, when focusing on newly erected structures, findings indicate that nearly 60% of these new constructions formed clusters with pre-existing buildings, whereas around 40% were dispersed. Despite the fact that cluster formation prevails and a trend towards more compact grouping is evident with a diminishing proportion of non-clustered structures, the fact that over 40% of new facilities are situated significantly apart from existing developments underscores the imperative to further restrict uncontrolled expansion. Implementing new tools, such as designated infill development areas within general plans, may effectively mitigate urban sprawl.
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