Summary of Study Session 6

In Study Session 6, you have learned that:

1. Urban development causes a change in land cover with decrease in permeable surfaces and increase in hard, impermeable surfaces. The loss of agricultural land adds pressure on the food production system.
2. This change in land cover reduces infiltration of rainwater into the ground, increases the rate and volume of surface run-off and may lead to flooding and soil erosion. It may also lead to raised temperatures in cities.
3. Urban planning aims to avoid the problems of unplanned development, to design towns and cities that meet the needs of the people who live in them, and to provide a healthy environment.
4. Urban planning has complex requirements which include consideration of housing quality and affordability; infrastructure for water, sanitation and waste management; effective drainage systems; and green spaces.
5. In Ethiopia, many new condominiums have recently been built according to the Integrated Housing Development Programme’s plans for new housing for low- and middle-income households.