Nowadays people talk about urban sprawl in such a way that probably indicates that it's not such a desirable thing. They refer urban sprawl as a cancer... but is it really a cancer?? Otherwise they would have given it a better name, like, Urban Utopia or something. Maybe just urban living. Or when I was growing up, it was suburbia. Now it's urban sprawl. But is it really a counter-productive thing???
Depending on who you ask, urban sprawl is either the best thing that ever happened to growing cities -- or the downfall of civilization and environment as we know it. Though it has many definitions, urban sprawl is most simply defined as "the spreading out of a city and its suburbs over more and more rural land at the periphery". In other words, sprawl happens when people abandon cities in favour of the suburbs. Joni Mitchell waxed philosophical in her hit song "Big Yellow Taxi" when she sang: "Don't it always seem to go/that you don't know what you've got till it's gone/They paved paradise/And put up a parking lot." To many, these lyrics are exactly what urban sprawl represents -- the desecration of untold hectares of farmland fuelled by capitalist ideals. However, to others, urban sprawl allows families to grab their own piece of the Dream. So who exactly is right? Advocates of sprawl will tell you that sprawl also allows the opportunity to escape crowded cities that often have higher crime rates. The opposition counters that the impact of sprawl is far-reaching, causing serious air pollution, ruining animal habitats and drastically reducing green space, among other issues.
Those opposed to urban sprawl advocate controlling the problem by building high-density urban areas -- in other words, accommodating more people per square km in buildings that grow up, rather than spreading out. This would spare the outlying rural areas from what is often deemed unnecessary development.
Unfortunately, this type of planning doesn't take into account lifestyle preferences. Many people simply don't like the crowds, traffic and confined living quarters that typically characterize urban living.
Also, it's no secret that homes closer to most urban areas are usually more expensive than homes farther out in the suburbs. Simply put, it's easier to own your home out in the suburbs.
Low-density developments do take up space and may increase driving time. However, they have an important argument in their favour: People like them. Low density means more room and a higher standard of living. While every city has apartments available for those who prefer them, many people choose their own detached homes
Not all communities offer a full plate of amenities, but in those new planned communities that do, the occupants can take advantage of a full plate of recreational opportunities without driving long distances to participate in community activities. Homes built on land outside of urban areas are often better valued than homes in cities because the land cost can be significantly lower. Former farmland or vacant land is far less expensive than land in established areas.
Despite widespread anti-sprawl sentiments, urban sprawls have their own benefits. A reduced housing cost in sprawls is believed to have provided minorities and recent immigrants better housing opportunities.
In addition, better schools in terms of area are often available in the suburbs. People with school-age children find that smaller, less crowded schools with better facilities are preferable to schools in the city. Because schools can have better set of activities in the suburbs.
Crime rates tend to be lower in the suburbs than in urban areas, providing further incentive for families to shift there.
The cost of a house with a garden in the suburbs is often less than the cost of a quality apartment in the city.
It provides a Sense of Community. An individual in a city can often feel lost in the crowd, while living in a less densely populated area can offer more of a sense of belonging to a community.
As rooftops are built, new retail centres springing up providing a way of employment to many people. Not only that, but the barren land outside the cities used for new industries also provide employment to many people.
Low density is likely to help the environment. Gardens filled with trees and shrubs absorb dust and chemicals, so smaller amounts of pollutants escape into the air and water. In contrast, in dense urban areas buildings, roads, and parking lots take up a higher percentage of the land, leaving little for the natural environment to absorb pollutants.
Although the pros of urban sprawl may be less numerous than the cons, it's hard to qualify which factors outweigh one another. And clearly the advantages of suburban development are pretty substantial, considering its popularity and the continuing influx of people migrating to the suburbs.
Urban sprawl is the later stage of urbanization and is an inevitable phenomenon. Just like every other process urban sprawl has its own pros and cons. However, the negative aspects of urban sprawls can be minimised by monitoring their growth in a planned way, so that they do not become a liability either to the society, economy or the environment.
