Document Type : Research
Authors
1
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2
Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3
Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Socio-economic harms in new towns pose significant challenges to achieving social sustainability. New towns, which are constructed to mitigate population pressure and urban issues in the vicinity of metropolitan areas, often deal with problems such as economic inequality, poverty, low quality of life, absence of recreational and welfare facilities, environmental pollution, and weak social cohesion. Andisheh New Town is no exception, and due to its proximity to Tehran metropolis and the influx of surplus population, it confronts considerable economic and social pressures. The purpose of this study is to analyze the socio-economic challenges facing new towns with an emphasis on the social sustainability of Andisheh New Town. In this applied research, which has a descriptive-analytical design, both documentary analysis and field study have been employed. The statistical population includes residents of Andisheh New Town, and data were collected by a questionnaire. Using the Cochran’s formula, a sample size of 384 was computed, which was later increased to 450 to enhance the reliability of the study. According to the results of the two-stage Delphi method, several indicators of social sustainability in Andisheh New Town were identified and prioritized. In the first Delphi stage, experts proposed a list of potential indicators, which, after consensus and elimination of overlaps, were reviewed and rated in the second stage. They contended that challenges posed by diminished social capital and cohesion, security, and citizen participation are major barriers to social sustainability. Meanwhile, residents proposed issues such as access to urban services, quality of living environment, and availability of public spaces as key challenges to urban sustainability. Overall, experts and residents held relatively different views on this subject, and their priorities diverged, which may be rooted in their distinct experiences and interests.
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