Local and Regional Planning for Sustainable Development

Dear Colleagues,

With the development of urbanization worldwide, some contradictions, such as environmental pollution and resource shortage, have gradually emerged in the harmonious symbiotic relationship between man and nature. Sustainable development or sustainability has become a topic of wide concern. While the science and rationality of local and regional planning are closely related to the planning actors and processes, there are new approaches, strategies and methodologies that might foster this global endeavor. Formulating and implementing collective actions for local and regional development is and increasingly clearer objetive for which pertinence and specific implementation need to be investigated and assessed.

The goal of this Special Issue is to collect papers (original research articles and review papers) to provide insights into the local and regional planning for sustainable development.

• Principles and insights into local and regional planning;
• Territorial sustainable design;
• Local identity branding;
• Territorial planning methods and ideas;
• Regional development;
• Territorial identity and uniquiness;
• Local landscape architecture;
• Stakeholder involvement in local planning;
• Worldwide local and regional planning schemes or successful case studies.

We welcome your contributions, including, but not limited to the above directions.

Prof. Dr. Luís Carlos Loures
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• landscape architecture
• territorial design
• territorial marketing
• sustainable development
• sustainable design
• local and regional planning
• stakeholders
• environmental impact

Title: Recovery and Sustainability of tourism in Croatia in the post-pandemic period
Authors: Borna Fuerst-Bjeliš (Full Professor), Ivan Šulc (Assistant Professor)
Affiliation: University of Zagreb Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract: The aim of the paper is to analyse the development trends in tourism in Croatia in the post-pandemic period and relate them to the results and changes triggered by the pandemic conditions. The analysis aims to give an overall picture together with some particular examples (case studies) of models (regions) that differ in the prevailing trajectories, as well as to question the sustainability of post-pandemic developments.

Title: How Important is Accessibility in Explaining Satisfaction with Housing Location and the Likihood of Moving in Vermont?
Authors: Narges Ahmadnia; Gregory Rowangould
Affiliation: Transportation Research Center, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont
Abstract: Many studies find that smart growth development strategies - those aiming to increase the density and diversity of land use along with multimodal transportation options - can provide substantial transportation, public health, economic and environmental benefits. Much less research has focused on the demand for smart growth. Understanding where people want to live and the factors that motivate households to move to different types of neighborhoods is important for evaluating the potential benefits of new housing development, including smart growth. If we build it, who will come? We address this question by evaluating the satisfaction of households with the type of neighborhood they currently live in, what type of neighborhood they would prefer, factors associated with different levels of satisfaction and the likelihood of moving. To answer these questions we collected data from households in Chittenden County, Vermont using an online survey. We find that more than half of our survey respondents prefer to live in neighborhood types that are different than where they currently live. Small town centers were most preferred, signaling a desire for smart growth. Furthermore, we find that households in suburban and rural neighborhoods have the most dissatisfaction overall and accessibility and mobility options were strongly associated with their level of dissatisfaction. However, we also find that rural and suburban households were least likely to move despite their dissatisfaction with accessibility and mobility options. These findings suggest there may be an unmet demand for smart growth outside of urban centers but there may also be important barriers to moving that could temper this demand.

Title: Sustainable Urban Transport Plan impacts in European Union. An overview of Italy
Authors: Francesco Filippi
Affiliation: Research Centre for Transport and Logistics, Sapienza University of Rome

Title: Urbanization and Environmental Sustainability: Planning Diagnosis of Symbiosis between Oṣogbo City and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Oṣun State, Nigeria
Authors: Oyewale Oyeleye; Liora Bigon
Affiliation: 1. the Department of Tourism Studies, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria 2. Ariel University School of Architecture, Israel
Abstract: In the global South, urbanization is not only a threat to the socio-environmental sustainability of city and its landscape, but is already a reality. Osogbo, a fast-growing tertiary city in Nigeria and the host of Oṣun-Oṣogbo Sacred Grove (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is at the verge of urbanization crises. Its land area is overpopulated and overutilized, and the important sacred grove is being threatened by land encroachment and pollutions due to industrialization and the annual feast in honor of the goddess Oṣun, which includes a regional and international pilgrimage by tens of thousands of Yoruba visitors. The proposed study will critically profile Oṣogbo's urbanization and its relational symbiosis with the environmental sustainability of the grove. Samples (water, soil, plants and air) that were recently taken from the grove – of before, during and after the last annual feast (August 2024) – will be analyzed in order to determine the biophysical and chemical impact of the city’s urbanization on the grove. Visual evidence from the field will be incorporated as well. The study will conclude by proposing feasible strategies in urban planning at the socio-ecological level and regarding the management of the site and its maintenance. Inspired by the recent successful preservation strategies of cultural heritage sites in China, we shall hope that the study will contribute to increasing the environmental consciousness of the municipal and state governments as to city-grove relations in Oṣogbo. Ensuring a more restrained and controlled urban development process in metropolitan Oṣogbo is a necessary step towards maintaining the environmental sustainability and sanctity of this World Heritage Site, and promising the continuity of this Yoruba-cum-global cultural fortune.

Title: Analyzing Dispersion Characteristics of Fine Particulate Matter in High-Density Urban Areas: A Study Using CFD Simulation and Machine Learning
Authors: Daeun Lee; Jeongwoo Lee; Caryl Anne M. Barquilla
Affiliation: Department of Urban Design and Studies, Chung-Ang University
Abstract: This study identifies key urban spatial factors affecting fine particulate matter (PM) dispersion in high-density urban areas by analyzing the relationship between urban morphology and PM distribution. Seventy-two geometric models, representing varied road and building configurations, were developed to simulate PM concentrations on local roads using CFD simulations. Particle dispersion was modeled in Ansys Fluent 2023 R2 with the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) framework, accounting for differences in road structures and building heights. Multiple regression analysis and machine learning models, including Bagging, XGBoost, and RandomForest, were applied to determine the primary factors influencing PM dispersion. Results showed wind speed as the most impactful variable, contributing 51% in XGBoost and 55% in RandomForest, followed by proximity to arterial roads (15% in XGBoost and 17% in RandomForest) and atmospheric pressure (9% and 13%, respectively). Distances from intersections in back alleys also affected PM dispersion. Findings indicate that emissions from arterial roads significantly impact PM concentrations within blocks, with pressure variations essential for wind speed. Machine learning outcomes based on CFD data demonstrated high explanatory power, with the RandomForest model achieving approximately 91% accuracy. These insights suggest that designing wind corridors by controlling building height and road configuration in dense urban areas could effectively disperse PM, supporting healthier urban environments. Future research should examine the effects of wind direction and traffic volume on PM concentrations at pedestrian levels.