Analysis of approaches governing land use change in Mashhad city

Asadi, Rouhollah; Yaghoubi, Mojgan; Ghorbani Poor, Hengameh

doi:10.22034/jgk.2025.375486.1091

Analysis of approaches governing land use change in Mashhad city

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Rouhollah Asadi ¹

Mojgan Yaghoubi ²

Hengameh Ghorbani poor ²

¹ Rouhollah Asadi Assistant Professor in Geography and Urban Planning, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Mashhad, Iran

² MSc. In Geography and Urban Planning, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.22034/jgk.2025.375486.1091

Abstract

This study analyzes the dominant approaches to urban land-use change in Mashhad, focusing on the approvals of Article 5 Commission of the Supreme Council of Urban Planning and Architecture and examining the role of the Islamic City Council over five terms (1999–2021). Since the Commission’s resolutions are reviewed by the City Council after submission, analyzing council approvals enables a simultaneous assessment of land-use change approaches and the Council’s supervisory role.
The research adopts a mixed-method (quantitative–qualitative) design with a descriptive–analytical approach. Out of 4,530 council resolutions, 341 cases related to land-use change (7.6%) were identified and analyzed; 78% of these belonged to the first two council terms. Data were examined through content analysis in three stages: open, axial, and selective coding. In the open coding stage, 13 themes were identified, with “improvement and development of public services” accounting for the largest share. Axial coding revealed four principal dimensions—physical, economic, cultural, and environmental—with the physical and economic dimensions being dominant. Selective coding resulted in three core categories: “anticipating future population needs,” “preventing incompatible land uses,” and “meeting citizens’ basic needs.”
The findings indicate that while the first two terms emphasized resolving land-use incompatibilities, subsequent terms exhibited less coherent approaches. The predominance of physical and economic considerations, alongside the linkage of some approvals to municipal revenue requirements, highlights the need to strengthen conformity with urban development plans and enhance the Council’s supervisory function

Keywords

land-use change

Article 5 Commission

Mashhad City Council

urban management

urban planning

Subjects

Urban studies and urbanism of Greater Khorasan

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