Development Plans and the Existing Situation of Land Use in Dura City, Hepron Governorate

In this study, we attempt to discuss Dura city which may stand as a model for the Palestinian cities which are occupied by the Israeli occupational forces. This city is planned at random, the result of which is that there are different land uses and overlapping in these uses. Dura is located in the southwest of Hebron city, about (9) kilometers between the two longitude (34.5 and 35.5) in the east of Greenwich line, and between the two latitudes(31.26 and 31.31) north of the equator. This city is about (898) meter high above the sea level. The organizational area of Dura reaches (15252) meter square and the population rises to (18185). A number of concepts were discussed in this study. At the very beginning, it dealt with the urban planning, its objectives and the modern cities' planning; the theoretical background regarding the use of land according to the principal concepts; the development of land use and the different models which explain land uses and types; the factors which affect land uses and the dangers resulting from the misuse of land. Moreover, this study looked into the natural and geographical features of the area with respect to location, astronomy, climate, the development of Dura in the twentieth century and its people's views in addition to the geographical models which were applied on this city. This is followed by a discussion on the laws and rules which governed planning in the West Bank through the institutions that prepared those plans. The study also tackled the use of land in the included area through the successive framed plans commencing from (1974) until (2001). Due to the fact that the (1974) plan was the first plan, it is considered the base on which the other successive plans were founded. This plan has its great effect on the use of land in this area. Next comes the analysis of the land uses in Dura city, which shows the contradictions between the plans and the facts known, in addition to the difference in land uses in accordance with the known plans included in the area of study. The present study revealed the state of land uses in Dura city, and showed a big difference between the plans and the facts on land. It is noticed that there is a great dependence on the (1974) plan concerning showing the different uses of land in Dura city. Finally recommendations and results were provided by the researcher, the most important of which are: 1. Creating new regulations for the Palestinians so as to organize construction in accordance with the situations of the residents. 2. Stressing the importance of the people's role in planning. 3. Preparing plans for land uses in the Palestinian cities that should be followed strictly by all the people. 4. Teaching the people about the importance of land uses and their role in the development of cities. 5. Creating specialized planning teams in order to provide accurate planning which may serve the Palestinian.