اتجاهات التطور العمراني في إقليم شرق نابلس

The City of Nablus is facing several urban and planning problems, of which the most significant is the lack of land for future expansion. In the light of the limited opportunities for the city expansion and the haphazard development on its outskirts, there is a necessity for planning the city in terms of its regional context. The areas located in the eastern part of Nablus City are suffering from the problems of the haphazard development and the misuse of land. In addition, the settlements adjacent to the city from the east are facing similar problems that are mostly due to the absence of appropriate development plans, which control both their local and regional development. This thesis is concerned with the study of both the existing and future urban development trends in the eastern part of Nablus City's region in the light of the available data and information. The major aim of the thesis is studying and analyzing the potentials, which enables the city to develop towards the east, either in the areas located within the city boundaries and/or towards the adjacent eastern settlements. Moreover, the thesis aims at providing certain suggestions and proposals that determine such expansion, which in turn will help to deal with the development and planning problems that Nablus City is facing and meet the needs of residents in the local settlements. The study indicated that the eastern areas of Nablus City's region have significant natural and human potentials and resources that could encourage the city expansion towards the east. In addition, the study emphasized that the absence of a comprehensive planning of the city within its regional context will not provide a suitable framework for managing the development and expansion of Nablus City neither satisfying the needs and interests of inhabitants both in the city and in the surrounding settlements. As a result, there is a great necessity and an urgent need for preparing a general comprehensive planning scheme of the city region.