Land Suitability Analysis for Public Parks using the GIS Application

Abstract

The provision of public facilities including public parks is a major urban planning issue in various cities of the developing world. Thus, the city of District Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan is selected as a case area. In this research, an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) framework as a multi-criteria decision approach of integrating with Geographic Information System (GIS) was carried-out to indicate different parameters for selection of a suitable site of public parks. While the selection of optimal site for public parks, land suitability model was applied. The Exert Choice (decision support system) software was used for calculating the weights from alternative scenarios asked by different experts. Computed weights were introduced into GIS through spatial analysis tools, produced land suitability maps, and proposed different sites around the city for public parks. In the end, the findings were made and suggested suitable locations for public parks to provide amusement facilities in Larkana city. This study may assist and benefit to city planners, real estate developers, and government officials in examining the public facilities including parks & their accessibility related issues at urban level and act as to ensure proper land use planning and management of the urban areas