English abstract
Housing is crucial for meeting basic human needs and rights, influencing environmental, transportation, and economic development. The right to adequate housing, recognised in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is consistently emphasized in international agreements and integral to the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. It has been the responsibility of each country to ensure the implementation of these rights for its citizens, regardless of its economic, political, or social context. Housing policy have undergone several transformations, with nations employing various approaches to fulfil this right. In Oman, rapid economic and population growth has brought about significant changes in urban and residential landscapes, presenting development opportunities but also highlighting challenges in housing and urbanization. Since the 1970s, population growth has increased housing demand, making residential land allocation an important aspect to urban development. Despite government efforts, a significant portion of allocated lands remains undeveloped, leading to unsustainable urban sprawl, increased infrastructure costs, landscape alterations, and substantial energy consumption. While the government aims for sustainable development through policy amendments, urban unsustainability and sprawl persist, necessitating a comprehensive approach to identify key factors preventing residential land development in Oman. The aim of this study is to address the problem of underdeveloped allocated residential lands in Oman by developing an assessment framework to identify factors hindering citizens from building, measuring key barriers, and providing insights for informed decision-making to promote urban sustainability in Oman. The study used a mixed-method approach, including a literature review and key document analysis to understand current land allocation process in Oman. A thorough literature analysis, to establish a framework for examining factors influencing the development of allocated residential land in Oman. This framework was validated with local stakeholders through a pile sorting workshop. The refined framework, comprising 17 indicators across 6 factors, ensuring contextual relevance in assessing unbuilt residential land. After that a questionnaire was then utilised based on the established framework to examine citizens' perception on the factors hindering the development of allocated residential land using a Likert scale and a snowball sampling approach. Statistical analysis was used to analyse the data obtained from the questionnaire, including descriptive, inferential, and Principal Components Analysis using SPSS software, that enhanced the study's depth, providing a comprehensive understanding of the dataset. Key findings highlighted the importance of factors including financial considerations, regulatory constraints, and services and infrastructure as significant impediments. Inferential statistics revealed notable patterns, with respondents who had been allocated residential land expressing higher concerns about services and facilities. Gender differences were observed, with males considering services and infrastructure more significant impediments. The principal component analysis further refined the factors influencing the development of allocated residential land, highlighting six main factors: Services and Infrastructure, Environmental and Geographical considerations, Financial aspects, Location preferences, Residential plans, and Land restrictions. This outcome provided a tailored framework for addressing the challenges of unbuilt allocated residential lands. This research provides valuable insights into sustainable urban development in Oman, offering a comprehensive framework and identified factors that can guide policymakers and urban planners. As Oman continues to urbanise and expand, the findings of this thesis provide an opportunity for future research and initiatives targeted at supporting sustainable urban development.
