Mohammed Aljoufie

Urban growth and transport infrastructure interaction in Jeddah between 1980 and 2007

This paper aims to use spatial statistical tools to explore the reciprocal spatial–temporal effects of transport infrastructure and urban growth of Jeddah city, a fast developing polycentric city in Saudi Arabia. Global spatial autocorrelation (Morans I) and local indicators of spatial association (LISA) are first used to analyze the spatial–temporal clustering of urban growth and transport infrastructure from 1980 to 2007. Then, spatial regression analysis is conducted to investigate the mutual spatial–temporal effects of urban growth and transport infrastructure. Results indicate a significant positive global spatial autocorrelation of all defined variables between 1980 and 2007. LISA results also reveal a constant significant spatial association of transport infrastructure expansion and urban growth variables from 1980 to 2007. The results not only indicate a mutual spatial influence of transport infrastructure and urban growth but also reveal that spatial clustering of transport infrastructure seems to be influenced by other factors. This study shows that transport infrastructure is a constant and strong spatial influencing factor of urban growth in the polycentric urban structure that Jeddah has. Overall, this study demonstrates that exploratory spatial data analysis and spatial regression analysis are able to detect the spatial–temporal mutual effects of transport infrastructure and urban growth. Further studies on the reciprocal relationship between urban growth and transport infrastructure using the study approach for the case of monocentric urban structure cities are necessary and encouraged.

Urban Growth and Transport: Understanding the Spatial Temporal Relationship

This paper describes how public transport and urban growth are strongly related. In fact, there is a reciprocal relationship between transport and urban growth. In order to understand this relationship, it is necessary to analyze urban spatial temporal changes and their related causes and effects. An extensive evidence-based and scientific description of the relationship between urban growth and transport is presented in this paper. This relationship is specifically explored for Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia, applying spatial temporal analysis techniques from remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Spatial and statistical analyses have been used to analyze and relate urban growth and transport spatial temporal indicators. Results indicate a strong reciprocal relationship between urban growth and transport in Jeddah City. The paper found that transport infrastructure expansion strongly correlates with population growth, spatial expansion and land use change. Results also reveal that population growth has increased urban trips and the consequent travel demand, and there is imbalance between travel demand and transport infrastructure supply that explains the increase in congestion. This study also points out a strong significant influence of transport infrastructure on spatial temporal expansion and land use change. It is found that highways and main roads have stronger influence on spatial expansion and land use change in comparison with secondary roads. Although, this study provides significant information for transport and urban development policies, further research is encouraged to use spatial statistical analysis and dynamic modeling to study the reciprocal relationship between urban growth and transport.

Valuing ‘Green Infrastructure’ in Jeddah: A City lost in ‘Grey’ Infrastructure

AbstractIn the planning of the urban green infrastructure it is important how the decision makers and residents value their living environment. While the coverage of Green Infrastructure in the case of Jeddah appears negligible, the paper attempts to find out its causal factor. We primarily consider (1) what are the challenges of residents well-being in Jeddah which Green Infrastructure can solve. (2) What are the constraints; obstructing the sustainable expansion and development of green infrastructure in Jeddah and (3) what are the policy interventions required as well as crucial issues to be considered while planning of green infrastructure in Jeddah. Primary data through satellite imagery and secondary data from extensive literature search incorporating internal and external linkages on the problems; could generate further discussion on the way by which green infrastructure planning could be successfully loomed.

Integrated analysis of land-use and transport policy interventions

ABSTRACT Analysing the impact of urban policy interventions on urban growth, land use and transport (LUT) is crucial for urban planners, transport planners and policy-makers, especially in rapidly growing cities. This paper presents a cellular automata-based land-use/transport interaction model – Metronamica-LUTI – for Jeddah that is used to analyse the impact of different proposed policy interventions under two urban growth scenarios for the period 2011–2031. Used as an integrated policy impact assessment tool, the model demonstrates a strong reciprocal relationship between LUT in Jeddah. This study shows that relevant spatial information and integrated policy impact assessment can provide rich insights into the interaction between LUT, the appropriate policy to consider in place and time which traditional planning practice and typical static urban models cannot do.

Examining why developers encourage foreign investment in local residential real estate in India

Purpose - The study aims to explore the role of non-resident Indian (NRI) investors into staggering local housing market and the efforts of developers and regulators to lure such investors. Design/methodology/approach - Primary data for this exploratory study were assembled through a Google form-based questionnaire circulated over internet among NRIs residing in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, USA, Singapore and United Arab Emirates, whereas the secondary data sources include the Government of India policy documents, World Bank data, Reserve Bank of India archives and reports published in reputed financial and others print media sources. Findings - Indian housing market is confronted with a demand and supply mismatch at present. While a massive demand lingers at affordable housing segment, on the contrary, millions of housing inventories are also piling up. Consequently, property developers are attempting to lure the large population of NRIs residing at global cities. Study observes that sentimental attachment to the homeland, higher rate of returns, anticipated rental incomes are the major decisive elements. Additionally, growth in infrastructure, world-class amenities offered by developers, conformity to sustainability and political stability is the other critical reasons. Research limitations/implications - On first hand, the study outlines a novel kind of foreign investment in Indian local residential real estate that is via NRI channel. Second, non-resident investors might surprise to the property developers and government through a realistic strategic approach. Originality/value - Probably, the study is first of its type gazing at NRI investors, as a foreign investor, in the local residential real estate.