An Assessment of Infill Development Potentials in Depressed Communities: A Case Study of Ungwar Television of Kaduna Metropolis
Arinde Salisu Handan1 & Lebana M. Daspan2
1Department of Architecture, Kaduna Polytechnic Nigeria
2Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Kaduna Polytechnic Nigeria
Email: salisuarinde@gmail.com& lebana1962@gmail.org
ABSTRACT
Infill development, or infill, principles such as compact mixed-use and diversity have revitalized dysfunctional city-centres through the redevelopment of vacant and old-decrepit structures in such ways that make economic sense. These transformational powers have given patronage to infill in recent redevelopment endeavours of depressed neighbourhoods of US and European cities. In Nigeria, there is hardly any deliberate infill effort aimed at revamping inner urban communities. This paper assesses infill potential in depressed community of Ungwar Television Kaduna (UT) with the objectives which include review of concepts and theories of infill as well as those of depressed areas. It identified different physical supportive features of infill in UT and concludes that these features have the capacity to ensure connectivity and permeability; compact mixed-use development, diversity and walk-ability; streets’ safety and civic engagement; local architectural character and accessibility in view of their high prevalence rates. Finally it proffered recommendations which include identifying and addressing concerns of people living in priority infill areas; provision of public incentives and investment; improvement of existing infrastructure; and creating enabling holistic land banking legislation.
Keywords: Infill Development, Depressed Communities, Strategies, Potentials, New Urbanism
