Planning for Meru town, Kenya:A case study of land use Conflicts in urban development

Abstract

The main points that emerge during the course of the thesis and the conclusions are summarized here. The thesis sets out with the general objective of .estimating the urban growth of Meru Town, the impact on land use and the implications to the planning of the town. The problems of land use conflicts are highlighted. , r Chapter two examines the relationship of Meru Town with the hinterland and concludes that there is very high potential of the growth of the town because it serves a rich- agricultural region. The role as a regional centre is not adequately performed because of lack of ind~strial base and it is proposed that as a designated principal town, there is need of governmental policy to encourage industrial investments in the town. Nevertheless, the town is rapidly growing as a commercial centre and land use conflict is a consequence of this growth and the conflict is bound to intensify in future.