Strategies to Streamline Urban Land Use Succession: Case Study of Upper Hill, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

This paper follows a journal paper ’Determinant and Outcomes of Urban Land Use Succession: Case study of Upper Hill, Nairobi based on a PHD research carried out to explore Urban Land Use Succession (ULUS) that is driven by private actors. It is distinguished from public sector ULUS and public-private ULUS. In Nairobi it is evident in Kilimani and Upper Hill where population pressure on land and demand for fully serviced properties have triggered restructuring, densification and intensification. In Upper Hill, ULUS started in the 1990’s and escalated in the last decade, with old colonial residential bungalows bowing to commercial tower blocks. This has resulted in patchwork land use patterns and incoherent streetscape among others. The resolution of these conflicts is critical to making the area a financial and business hub for Nairobi and the East Africa Community region. The purpose of research was to identify the determinants of ULUS and establish the influence of global capital and spatial policy on ULUS. It applied neoliberal theory, case study strategy and hypotheses testing. The Strategies to streamline ULUS are also suggested, including, development of an integrated ULUS policy, a growth management strategy and establishment of an Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).