article · Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Peri-urban areas increasingly face challenges with idle land stemming from investment acquisitions, which hinders sustainable land use and local development. This research investigates the causes and socioeconomic consequences of investment-driven land idleness in Debre Markos, Ethiopia, using surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis. Statistical modelling reveals that several distinct factors significantly drive land idleness. These include weak market demand, parcel size, scarce land financing, limited initial investor capital, topographic hurdles, speculative activities, rising construction material prices, weak land governance institutions, regional political instability, and active land disputes. In contrast, land fertility and proximity to the urban centre do not significantly influence whether land remains idle. The findings provide empirical guidance for planning authorities seeking to mitigate land non-use.
When peri-urban land allocated for investment is left unused, it locks up critical space and slows sustainable economic expansion. Identifying the specific financial, institutional, and political causes of land idleness enables authorities to improve planning, counter speculative acquisitions, and reform land management rules to ensure transferred properties contribute productively to regional development.
The abstract does not indicate a commercial application pathway. The findings are early-stage applied research intended primarily for urban planners, land administration bodies, and policymakers seeking to refine peri-urban zoning, investment vetting procedures, and regulatory enforcement.
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Abstract Peri-urban areas are experiencing an increase in idle land, which poses challenges to sustainable land utilization and development in these areas. Although peri-urban land management and governance have been studied, investment-driven land idleness remains unexplored. This study examined the prevalence and associated socioeconomic implications in Debre Markos, Ethiopia, using a mixed-methods approach that included surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis. Data were analyzed using thematic, descriptive, and inferential analysis techniques. The findings of the logit model revealed that low market demand for goods and services, parcel size, limited availability of land financing, insufficient initial capital of investors, topographic constraints, land speculation activities, rising construction material costs, weaknesses in institutions governing land, current political instability in the Amhara region, and the presence of land disputes were statistically significant in determining the prevalence of land idleness at the 95% confidence interval. The distance from the urban center and degree of land fertility were not statistically significant ( P > 0.05). The findings provide valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers to address land idleness and enhance sustainable land use in investment-driven peri-urban acquisitions in Ethiopia.
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DOI: 10.1061/jupddm.upeng-6430
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