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Long-Term Expansion Plan of Intermediate Cities Using GIS: The Case of

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Article in International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning · June 2022

DOI: 10.18280/ijsdp.170316

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 International Journal of Sustainable Development and
Planning
Vol. 17, No. 3, June, 2022, pp. 863-873
Journal homepage: http://iieta.org/journals/ijsdp

Long-Term Expansion Plan of Intermediate Cities Using GIS: The Case of Sinjar City, Iraq
Mazin Jaber Omar1, Emad Hani Ismaeel1, Faris Ali Mustafa2*
1
Department of Architecture, College of Engineering, University of Mosul, Mosul 41001, Iraq
2
Department of Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering, Salahaddin University – Erbil, Erbil 44001, Iraq

Corresponding Author Email: faris.mustafa@su.edu.krd

https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.170316 ABSTRACT

Received: 8 February 2022 According to UIA-CIMES Declaration, several governments have included a group of
Accepted: 22 April 2022 intermediate cities in their program for sustainable urban development. In third world
countries, many of these urban areas still suffer from neglect and shortcomings in the
Keywords: production process of well-thought-out urban expansion plans, regardless of their capacity and
urbanization, GIS, long term, sustainable potential for urbanization and transformation. This research aims to take advantage of the
development, intermediate cities, UIA- digital capabilities of GIS software to study the most effective factors in formulating urban
CIMES, Sinjar city expansion plans necessary to develop appropriate policies for intermediate cities from the
perspective of UIA-CIMES. Its methodology focuses on identifying a range of factors
affecting the development of the master plan for these cities, including identifying many
aspects related to sustainable urban development such as cultural, physical, economic, and
environmental aspects, with their details and land uses, besides determining several urban
factors and indicators approved for differentiation and classification of expansion areas. This
is followed by an analytical study of the Idrisi program on the city of Sinjar in northern Iraq
as a case study to provide a comprehensive view of the urbanization of the city in a long-term
GIS plan. Idrisi is characterized by its ability to deal with raster images more than vector
graphics, and the ease of working and training. After extracting the results, planning trends are
analyzed and identified to show the appropriate land use for each of the mentioned expansion
areas. These results are available to the decision-maker in formulating the scenario of the new
master plan for Sinjar city 2040. The analysis of the potential expansion areas utilizing Idrisi
has revealed the existence of two types of regions in Sinjar: basic expansion zones and non-
basic expansion zones, and the study of its future expansion must be based on the principles
of sustainable urban development according to long-term planning.

1. INTRODUCTION many of these urban areas located in the third world countries
for urbanization and transformation into large cities due to
Intermediate cities are considered an important product their urban, social, and natural potentials, many of them still
within human settlements, due to their work - by the network suffer from neglect and shortcomings in the process of
of regional relations - as a tangible link, economic and social producing studied urban expansion plans. This research aims
interaction between other metropolitans, urban and rural to clarify the most effective factors in the formulation of urban
communities (capitals, metropolis, big cities, small cities, expansion plans and urban decision-making required to
towns, villages, etc.). In addition, by their urban fabric and develop policies appropriate for intermediate cities from the
natural elements, these cities represent real social and UIA-CIMES perspective.
historical resources, which make the process of developing The research methodology includes a theoretical framework
this type of urbanization a critical and problematical issue. that focuses on identifying a set of qualities influencing the
According to the “UIA-CIMES Declaration”, governments Master Plan development and urban expansion of the
have included a group of cities in its program, with the goal of intermediate cities, with identifying the common factors with
sustainable urban development for this category of cities [1]. the predominant effect on various cities. Then, carrying out an
This declaration draws attention to the intermediate cities' analytical study using GIS for an intermediate city-Sinjar City
task in the process of global urbanization. It underlines the in northern Iraq as a case study - for presenting a procedure
essence of society implications influence of urban design on that enables planners to provide a comprehensive view of the
the evaluation of cities' development. In the context of city's urban expansion long-term plan Sinjar2040.
intermediate cities, the attempts to realize innovative methods
to overcome urbanization problems are the key social and
practiced questions. Currently, intermediate cities participate 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
in getting a more sustainable process of urbanization; founding
further relations with their economic and social neighboring 2.1 UIA-CIMES program
regions; allowing a better public involvement in the city
management and its resources [1]. Despite the suitability of The United Nations conference on human settlement

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(Habitat II) in Istanbul in 1996 with the Congress of the Often CIMES are influenced by their surrounding
International Union of Architects – UIA in Barcelona in 1996, economies, which include diverse types of rural and informal
established the global considerations on the role of the economies. On worldwide scope, the intermediate city has
intermediate cities and their responsibilities in the process of between 20,000 and 2,000,000 inhabitants, and be supposed to
global urbanization, comprising the Intermediate Cities and play a comprehensible territorial function with several
global urbanization program [2]. managerial tasks at the national, regional, or local degree, and
The UIA-CIMES Declaration draws attention to several should not form a section of metropolitan settlements [5].
aspects. Article 1.2 emphasizes the essence of society Besides its investment in rural and agricultural areas and
implications impact of urban design and planning on the human resources within its regions, its ease of management
assessment of cities' speedy growth, which is a present and the ability of citizens’ participation, intermediate cities are
international concern related to the important progress of also distinguished from the large Megalopolis by being less
economic actions from the rural area to the city, furthermore suffering in terms of environmental problems and more
with the urban inhabitants growing. Urban planning will widespread in the human scale and they are less
witness massive agglomerations and large cities that will demographically and culturally diverse and more socially
congregate additional inhabitants with the need of services close, but they are less flowing in information and capital [6].
more than the capacity of their infrastructure, which requires They are well placed to create the link between central
an enhanced management urban system, with minor, improved authorities, urban areas, and rural districts. These cities'
distributed, and more decentralized settlements [1]. From their evolution is a clue that such enters perform as stopping
perspective, architects and urban planners have to investigate districts for traveling people on their path to large cities [7].
the ways of dealing with and solving the problems initiated by
the inhabitants increasing concentration, finding means of 2.3 Promoting intermediate cities motives
providing them with an appropriate structure to exploit human
activities [1]. National and international organizations and administrative
bodies offer insufficient awareness of CIMES. CIMES play a
2.2 The intermediate city crucial task in the process of international urbanization, since
they globally accommodate a great part of inhabitants, and
In 2000, more than three billion of the world's population they institute further balanced and sustainable urban structures,
reside in urban areas [2]. According to the United Nations they still receive less consideration from professional and
Studies Report, internationally, more population inhabit urban experts’ domains. Regarding CIMES, the specific research and
regions than in rural regions, with 55% of the world’s specialized studies have not been compared to their weight and
population residing in urban zones in 2018, which will be 68% importance [5]. CIMES require greater political and
by 2050 [3]. The UIA-CIMES International Work Program administrative decentralization, to give local agencies wider
aims at sustainable development of intermediate cities and authorities and duties. Professionals and specialists need to
finding solutions to housing, infrastructure, urban heritage, raise attention to CIMES's particular difficulties and
and other problems. To define the “intermediate city”, it is not distinctiveness and their surroundings [5].
enough to simply consider its demographic intensity or its Due to current economic globalization transformations and
physical size but to take into consideration its roles, the level urbanization progression and the intermediate cities role
of impact it plays, and the social, economic, and cultural played in different environments, it is important to argue for
interactions in its surrounding territory; the settlement that various practices in the promotion of intermediate cities and
presents services for the residents of its areas of influence as territorial decentralization, to provide knowledge interaction
well. It is a critical component of infrastructure networks that tool linking specialists and public authorities that possess the
links local, provincial, and possibly national systems, which same difficulties to handle [1]. As a policy to support
perform as a route for the feedback process [4]. Its degree of decentralized evolution, the UN-Habitat in 2015 calls national
non-central public management and involvement causes more organizations to encourage the role of rural service centers,
understanding of the developed regions, assisting to formulate and intermediate cities to draw populations, expend funds and
real measures of the requirements of any individual urban decrease dependence on Large cities [8].
environment [1]. “Intermediate cities” CIMES typically show To exploit the economic urbanization advantages, urban
a distinguished functional complexity, own a considerable planners must make the most out of the small and intermediate
level of centrality and have historic and architectural structures cities [9]. In developing countries, the unrestrained
and represent critical points within their area. Within the urbanization increment necessitates urgent actions to
comprehensive urban system, they form accessibility to other guarantee that the urbanization profits are achieved without
settlement cores. producing environmental or social deterioration.
CIMES forms better sustainable systems with further
harmonic, open, and balanced relationships with the 2.4 Urban plan policies and long term projects
neighboring areas. In developed countries, several cities utilize
the natural and human resources of the considerable rural areas Strategic planning is required to frame long term projects
located in their influence area. It is simpler to make or build for city development in that it generates a common framework
up its specific identity, which is convenient, distinguished by to enhance urban policy and to permit public and private urban
the residents. Such a type of city is characterized by fewer bodies; it must correspond with city planning, urban
social clashes, minor social costs, and less cultural diversity, development, and architectural interventions; and, it allows
furthermore less access to the basic sources of information and wider public participation by producing construction and a
funds. It regularly depends upon a particular economic district. mutual ideal [10]. Medium and long-term city planning is a
It has fewer environmental issues detected in large fundamental factor in improving urban policy for CIMES.
metropolitans [1]. Urban plans must improve innovative solutions to

864
contemporary challenges and override the technocratic representation. General hypotheses can be evaluated as
utilization of «zoning»by encompassing the benefits growing follows [5]:
at the intermediate level of urban planning [5]. Urban Intermediate cities diversity: depends on the various
development plans must support and apply the environmental conditions and environments related to the urban context, they
advantages of cities [11]: extend between the low-density cities to very high-density
1. There are further prospects for decreasing the traffic paths cities.
of motor-driven: walking, using bicycles, via devices of The influence regions: In developing urban policies of the
communal transport [12]. intermediate cities, the intervening task imposes taking into
2. Urban development plans should consider the consideration their influence relevant areas.
distinctiveness, detailed characteristics, urban topology, Means of transportation: Intermediate cities attend to be
and sustainability criteria for the energy of each local situated at good intersections of terrain communications, with
ecosystem and the physical conditions of every site [13]. satisfactory access to the transportation systems.
3. Heritage aspects must involve lesser constructions and Urban amenities and services: which should take into
spaces accessible for public purposes besides the account the influencing related areas of the city in addition to
monuments and historic iconic buildings [14]. The covering the requirements caused by municipal service sectors.
question of urban integration is precisely associated with Housing: In intermediate cities, sub-standard, marginal
the questions and issues of the traditional patterns that housing and homelessness remain a concerning issue in
have to be studied and discussed. particular circumstances, which represent the most
4. Defining the particular connection between the total contemporary urban projects carried out and those
surface area and several local factors, e.g. Maximum forthcoming designed.
distances, zone density, overall urban form, zoning of Urban characters and monuments: Historic and built
land use, and transport devices, assists to decrease heritage has significant representative worth and has a vital
transport costs and the number of inhabitants moving role to do in identifying urban spatial character.
distances between their dwelling sites and work. Performed urban projects: Ordinarily, in less developed
5. Urban development plans should encourage and promote cities, urban projects curried out recently concentrate on
the following: developing general living circumstances, including:
• Integrating urban development plans with transportation • Improving and constructing various networks or systems
tools. to provide infrastructure services.
• Reducing walking distances between activities to a • Improving urban local public services and educational
minimum to shrink city size. facilities.
• Providing Sustainable systems for planning and managing • Enhancing public spaces and landscape.
urban development. • Construction of additional dwellings.
• Greater integration between the household and economic • Management of the new land urbanization.
sector. • Developing local connectivity and accessibility.
• Adequate urban plans with less consuming energy and • Preservation of historic sectors and revitalizing urban
more safeguarding natural resources. heritage.
• Sustainable cycles and recycling routes. • The formation of new planning documentation.
• Utilizing local, ecological and clean resources.
• Public participation in their city design. 2.6 Challenges on intermediate cities
6. Urban plans should include further integrated notions of
functions and activities by permitting mixed ways of Presently, the major questions and challenges in front of
urban planning and development, with no separation intermediate cities are as follows:
between functions and activities for more sustainability a) The progression of globalization: simultaneously
and equality, to promote the enhanced and advanced strengthening their own specific identities, they play a
personal functions and activities within a specified place role in resolving macro problems because of the variety
[15]. of their local resources.
7. Besides their participation in planning, the relevant b) The configuration of a global urban system: this is done
organizations and bodies must be engaged in by enhancing the orderliness of their links with the
administering the achievement and development of plans. peripheral area and balancing their transportation and
Architects and urban designers should offer priority to the communication means, they form the relations with other
residence issue and social heritage, and they have to be surrounding settlements.
aware of the principal role of the design course in c) Accessibility and communications: due to their middle
materializing the objectives of the inhabitants [5]. scale, they can contribute to increasing further sustainable
types of territorial mobility and accessibility.
2.5 Questions and issues affecting the traditional urban d) Sustainability proposals: they can add various integrated
patterns results in their surroundings, economic shapes, and
resources.
As stated by UNESCO, the issues affecting the traditional e) Habitat problems: providing suitable shelter for each
urban pattern should be inspected at several levels: Social family unit is a global difficulty, intermediate cities can
Fragmentation Issues, due to socio-economic and cultural establish more awareness of accommodation problems
inequality; Urban Identity Issues, conventional social relations and different types of habitation.
within cities, neighborhoods, and specific housing units; and f) Spatial fragmentation: they can assist the reformation of
Governability Issues: caused by the separation between social regular spaces to public and social uses, thus they create a
communication representatives and forms of political vital involvement to upgrade the society's life quality.

865
 Hence, reusing and safeguarding the built heritage, and does not lead to their demolition damage, degradation, or
traditional architecture is fundamental in new urban diminution of their feasibility for future generations, while
policies. maintaining a steady, unreduced balance of resources (such as
g) Local administration and community integration: in this soil, groundwater, and biomass).
aspect, they could provide superior circumstances, by 2. Economic: by focusing on the best management of
expanding the public services provided to exceed current resources to obtain maximum economic benefits, provided
shapes of social exclusion. that the quality of the resources is preserved and used in a
Mainly critical problems challenging cities and their manner that does not reduce future real income.
residents include lacking and deteriorating construction stock, 3. Environmental: using new, clean, efficient, and capable
facilities, and infrastructure, irregular land use, growing traffic technology to save resources to reduce pollution and help
overcrowding, growing pollution, need of open spaces, achieve climate stability and absorb the growth in the
ineffective water supply, and sanitation, insufficient financial population. Sustainable urban development programs in third
resources, uncontrolled urbanization progress, the need of world cities rely on social development through human
employment opportunities, lack of health and educational resource development by providing the basic requirements of
services, expansion of squatter settlements, increasing the local community such as health care and education and
insecurity and crime levels. These factors have critically faced improving the individual's standard of living, and physical
the competencies of authority agencies of developing urban development through developing the built urban
countries, at all levels to gain an advanced worth of citizen’s environment and infrastructure services [21].
life [2]. Sustainable development of human settlements merges
economic development, social development, and
2.7 Sustainable development environmental protection, with a thorough appreciation for the
individuals' rights, it recommends attaining measures of
The United Nations World Commission on Environment greater permanence and peace, established on ethical and
and Development 1987defines sustainable development as spiritual sight [2]. Urbanization has been related through time
“development that meets the needs of the present without with financial and social growth, the advancement of learning
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their systems, the general state of health development, better
own needs” [16]. The sustainable development notion has contact to social facilities, and political, cultural, and religious
improved beyond the preliminary intergenerational context to involvement [2]. Cities' development initiates social,
get further concentration on the objective of "socially inclusive economic, and environmental alterations that run further than
and environmentally sustainable economic growth" [17]. city borders [2].
Urban communities, accurately planned and administered,
possess the promise for human growth and the natural 2.8 Urban development & sustainability
resources safeguarded by their capability to assist large many
citizens while regulating their effect on the natural The sustainable development process is generally based on
surroundings [2]. three main resources: Human Resources, Nature Resources,
Principles on sustainable development are identified in the and Economic Resources. A land resource is considered a
Millennium Declaration of the United Nations Charter, major factor that is indispensable within the natural resources
including Economic Development, Social Development, and for development in the housing and agricultural uses (forests,
Environmental protection [18]. Sustainability must be green areas, and green belts) in the city because it cannot be
alternated using four interrelated fields: ecology, economics, compensated with other resources since land is a resource and
politics, and culture [19]. The sustainable development of the natural source not human-made [22], while capital can be
intermediate cities is achieved by a strategy based on studies aided in providing development elements for other uses. In
about the city's nature and the uniqueness of each city in the most cities, the classification of urban land patterns is based
study and implementation. Several studies have concluded that on four mainland uses: agricultural, residential, commercial,
sustainable development focuses on the following aspects [20]: and industrial, and then to other sub-categories [23].
1. Physical: using renewable resources in a manner that

Table 1. Sustainable urban development aspects and the appropriate land-use

Sustainable urban
Aspects details Land-uses
development Aspects
1. Old city, archaeological sites, urban
heritage
1. Residential
2. Terrain and terrain Shape
2. Administrative - cultural-educational (university)
Cultural/ 3. The geological Composition of the Earth
3. Service (municipality, hospital, health center, transportation
physical aspects 4. Availability of available land areas
center, Police station, post office, Religious, educational
5. Axes of transport and public movement
(kindergarten, schools)
6. Infrastructures
7. Land ownership and abuse
1. Providing job opportunities 4. Commercial and craftsmanship
Economic Aspects
2. Economic feasibility 5. Industrial (light and medium)
1. Natural and Environmental factors
6. Sports and recreation (parks, playgrounds, water elements)
(climate, waterways and Kahareez, wind,
Environmental aspects 7. Tourist - recreation (hotel, motel, hotel apartments)
energy sources)
8. Forests and green belts
2. Pollution

866
 The urban residential land is an urban land designated areas around the town and identifying their needs, criteria are
exclusively for housing purposes. However, the idea of the formulated for the classification of these indicators to realize
neighborhood unit and residential communities holds in its if those areas are well adapted for types of land uses and to
applications the accompaniment of housing for commercial, identify pros and cons.
educational, health, service, sports, and recreational activities
for the benefit of its residents. In general, agricultural land is 3.2 Sinjar city: An overview
located outside the urban spot of the city. However, it takes the
form of public gardens, parks, forests, amusement parks, and Sinjar city is the administrative center of the Sinjar region
green belts inside the city. Regarding housing development, of the Nineveh (Mosul) province in Iraq. It is located at the
the land resource is one of the most important elements of foot of a mountain known by its name (Sinjar Mount), which
production, without which development does not take place at is characterized by its undulating land and difficult paths.
all because the land is the basic element to housing Sinjar is a historic city with a lifetime of more than six
development [24]. Other land uses do not require large areas thousand years. It is the largest city in the Sinjar District.
compared with the case of housing, and development can take Kairouan and Sinouni are two towns that are administratively
place in limited areas, such as commercial use, and very linked to Sinjar (Figure 1).
limited as the development of the other uses. Table 1 shows
the aspects of sustainable urban development and the
appropriate land-use for them that affects the design of the
urban expansion.

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 The practical part of the research

Geographic Information System (GIS) provides planners

powerful tools to make better decisions through query and Figure 1. Sinjar official district & Sinjar city in Nineveh
visualization of geographic information. During the past two (Mosul) province – Iraq
decades, many GIS programs have been developed as ArcGIS,
QGIS, GRASS, and Idrisi. In this study, Idrisi software as a
GIS technique was used in analyzing data and interpreting
results.
Idrisi is one of the most important programs in the field of
GIS. It is distinguished from other programs in that its user
does not take much time to learn and practice, and it relies
more on dealing with Raster-based GIS cells instead of dealing
with vector-based, which makes it suitable to accomplish
many of the needs of urban planning designers. It provides the
capability to use location as the key variable. The system's
multiple layers that are based on computational methods, Figure 2. The last master plan of Sinjar - 2007
allow the user to create, store and edit spatial and attribute data,
analyze information output, and visualize the results of these
operations by presenting them as maps or reports. In this
environment, GIS uses various mathematical and logical
operations within layers and across layers to derive
meaningful conclusions and prepare maps according to the
concerned needs.
Weighting layers is a significant step in GIS analysis
because it allows the user to define levels of importance that
vary on different factors. Since the main objective of this
research is to define the potential areas of the future expansion Figure 3. Approximate dimensions-vertical & horizontal-for
of the city of Sinjar, so, the study used GIS concepts and Sinjar urban spot
covers urban, agricultural and conservational land-uses, and
defining framework in such a way that can support the Sinjar city is located about 120 km in the north-western far
decision-making process. The urban area of Sinjar city, whose from Mosul, the centre of the Nineveh province at the
periphery was set by the 1997 Master plan, is surrounded by intersection of longitude 41.52 east and latitude 36.19 north. It
areas of land that are available for urban expansion, especially currently covers an area of 56,176 km2 and has a population of
residential expansion, and can be extended over for the next 88,023 [25]. Its historical depth is represented by the remains
three decades. This part addresses the planning indicators, of the ancient walls such as the Roman Wall and the Serai -
geological factors, topographical patterns, and different land the old traditional city on its northern side. Its extension today
uses (residential, industrial, forestry, green areas, etc.) that grows outside the old city center towards the plane lands on
affect the proper decision-making towards directions for the edge of the mountain, which makes it a capable city for
potential expansion, of urban expansion in general, down to growth and expansion, in the manner of slow expansion and
the town periphery in the target year 2040 for the new Sinjar spread of residential neighborhoods in two directions,
master plan. Next to gathering information about the status of southeast, and southwest, away from the mountain. Kahreez

867
Great Valley (stream of water descending from the mountain) The surrounding areas of Sinjar city are potential lands for
divides the city into two sides, east and west, with the presence urban expansion. To analyze their particular possibilities and
of small kahareez throughout the city. The last Sinjar master constraints, they have been divided into ten homogeneous
plan was officially approved in 2007 (Figures 2, and 3). regions. All are along and adjacent to the current urban spot,
except area No.10-Zone T, which lies outside the city, to the
3.3 Morphological development of Sinjar city north on the external road leading to Sinouni Town, and to the
top of Sinjar Mountain. These regions are divided into areas
During the past decades, there have been four phases for the ranging from 75 hectares to 125 hectares. All of these areas are
development of the Sinjar urban area: the first phase in the not expected to be annexed to the city, but only the total area
1940s and 1950s, the second phase in the 1960s and 1970s, the required will be combined according to the criteria, which will
third phase in the 1980s, the fourth phase in the 1990s and the be distributed among some of the chosen zones according to
last is the first decade of the new millennium Figure 4. their convenience land use (residential, commercial, industrial,
and so on). Thus, some areas are elected, and others are
excluded in compliance with city requirements, with the
expansion trends on possible axes, and appropriateness with
the land-use factor (Figure 5).

3.6 The expansion zones

Zone A: This area (about 50 hectares) is located to the north

of Sinjar urban spot, next to (the Sarai region) and its three
neighborhoods (the Sarai, the Burj, and Kalahi) in a striped
shape extending east until it overlaps with the archaeological
Roman Wall region. It is characterized by being currently the
highest area of the city in terms of contour lines for the
Figure 4. Morphological development of Sinjar city ascending levels towards Sinjar Mount. Thus, the land is
distinguished by severe roughness in its elevations and slopes,
3.4 Data and material used causing a high economic cost for urban development
(generally, the land in the city tends to decline to south and
The dataset used in this study was based on the following east). This area overlooks the central region that is the most
sources: important area in Sinjar (the old city and the central
1. Satellite image of the city of Sinjar. commercial district of Sarai, extending to the historic Roman
2. DEM (Elevation grid) of the city and surrounding (Sinjar) wall to the east). It contains the shrine of SayyidaZainabwhich
mountain. is one of the main city religious sites. Therefore, it represents
3. Sinjar Master plans (1977, 2007). a district with high historic, heritage, and cultural value.
4. Personal visits and communications. Zone B: It is located northeast of Sinjar (about 75 hectares).
It descends from the mountain edges to the south as flat land,
3.5 Areas of expansion around the existing Sinjar with some slight terrain at its northern side. A small Kahreez
aligns it on its western side, forming a natural buffer with the
adjacent Nowruz neighborhood. It is a region capable of
growth and development, especially for residential and other
suitable uses.
Zone C: An area of about 80 hectares east of Sinjar,
bordered by Zone B in the north, and Al-Qaraj neighborhood
No.2 in the west, and the south by Express Way 47, which
connects Sinjar with the most important contiguous
settlements, districts, and towns. The area is a plain terrain,
and it is a clear extension of its west districts, such as Nowruz
and Al-Qaraj. In the Master plan of the years 1997-2007, 22
hectares for an industrial zone have been designated in it,
without any implementation until today. The area is an
extension of a secondary axis branched from the main axis that
arrives from the city center on the eastern city side.
Zone D: It is about 100 hectares located at the eastern
entrance of Sinjar city and southeast of Sinjar urban spot,
bordered by Highway 47at the north, and penetrated by a
branching road from Highway 47 at the south, heading
towards the center of Kairouan Town. On the western side, it
is bordered by the Building of Sinjar Silo and Zone E. This
region contains several shops for construction materials
trading and marketing. It is generally a flat area bordered by a
small Kahreez from the west and separate it from the adjacent
area.
Figure 5. Potential expansion zones around the current city
Zone E: it is about 100 hectares located in a central location
of Sinjar 2040

868
from the Sinjar southern side, bordered to the north by Road other uses, which need less of the land resource, in a time that
47, to the east by Sinjar Silo building, and Zone-D, to the west a resource such as an abundance of capital will provide it. The
by Zone-F. It is a flat plain zone penetrated by a small Kahreez land resource may not be important in investment
and separated from Area-D by another one. This zone includes development in other uses, such as industrial, commercial,
the main city electricity power station that feeds Sinjar city and tourism, recreational, etc., where the resource (capital) that is
Sinjar Cement Factory at the same time. The electric high the key to its development can provide a limited piece of land
voltage line passes through it. to set up development. As for housing or agricultural
Zone F: It is about 110 flat plain hectares centrally located development, the matter is different. Land resources are one of
to the south of Sinjar on Road 47. It is bordered by Zone-E in the most important elements of production, without which no
the east, and by the branching road from Road 47 toward the housing development can take place, because the land is the
center of Al-Baaj Town in the west. It is penetrated by the key to housing development [26]. Table 2 shows the urban
central Kahreez (located in the middle of Sinjar city) which factors and indicators approved for the differentiation and
works as a waterway of large torrents and rids central areas classification of expansion areas. These factors and indicators
from seasonal floods. The electric high voltage line also passes carry criteria for evaluation: Potentialities & Constrains.
through it. According to the potential areas for residential,
Zone G: This zone is about 75 hectares located to the governmental, administrative, and commercial expansion, the
southwest of Sinjar. Highway 47 bound it to the north, and the predominant trends in the city growth are to east and south,
bypass road to the east extends towards Baaj Town center. It away from the rugged terrains of Sinjar mountains, with
is an extension of its former expansion areas to the west. It is blocking situation towards the urban spot resulting from the
flat terrain, and a small Kakreez passes in its eastern part. master plan of 2007, especially as Al-Nasr and Waranshar
Zone H: This zone is about 70 hectares that located at the neighborhoods are still in the development stage, and more
far western end of the existing Sinjar master plan. It is closer than 60% of their lands have not been utilized yet. Because
to elongation, most of its parts are flat plain, and the terrain is residential and urban infill is expected within the next 20 years,
rocky and hard. It is bordered to the south by Road 47, to the an expansion beyond the infill of the master plan- 2007
east by Sirkeften, Al-Nasr, and Wiranshar neighborhoods. requires an east and south extension, if the balanced growth of
Zone J: It is about 60 hectares located northwest of Sinjar, the city is to be preferred around the urban spot central area,
bordered to the east by the Barbarosh neighborhood, to the which includes Serai region, the central Kahreez area, the
north by Sinjar Mountain, and to the south by Sirkeften, Al- square of Historic Sinjar Minaret and the two domes enter.
Nasr neighborhood. It is a rugged terrain area and contour lines,
and it tends to decline to the west. Its shape is somewhat 3.7 Analysis of the prospective expansion zones
stripped.
Zone T: It is about 50 hectares located north of Sinjar, Zone A: This zone is limited in size, with a rugged
currently outside the boundaries of the municipality, and mountainous nature, but it is an extension of areas of high
separated from the city by large areas of cemeteries, which are historical, heritage, and cultural value in the city, which is
not predetermined in the current city master plan. It originated nominated for locating administrative cultural uses,
mainly on both ends of the road axis of Sinjar to Kirsi and recreational tourism activities, and heritage commercial
Sununi towns - the road that crosses Sinjar Mountain to the activities, including tourist hotels due to its rise and its view
north. This zone has an irregular shape, and most of the toward the city.
facilities currently emerging in it are primarily tourist sporting Zone B: This zone is medium in size, and its northern part
and entertainment use. This zone is located among the heights lies at the mountain foot, but most of its area falls south to an
of Sinjar Mount in all directions, and outside the borders of undulating area, then flat land. Thus, urban development has
Sinjar municipality and its authority. It is expected that it will an acceptable economic cost. It represents an extension of the
be included in the new city master plan. secondary movement axes of the market area in the present
city from its eastern side. Consequently, it is a candidate for
Table 2. Urban factors and indicators approved for the residential extension and for locating commercial, cultural
differentiation and classification of expansion areas and service uses, as well as recreational tourism use in its
northern part.
Urban factors and indicators
Potential zones for Zone C: Due to the nature of this zone, urban development
urban expansion has an acceptable economic cost. It represents an urban
Availability of land areas Zones (C,D,E,F,G) extension of the eastern side of the city. Because of its medium
Terrain shape & the geological area and location, it is likely to be a key area for the new
Zones (A,H,J,B)
composition of the earth
expansion, especially the part of residential use, commercial,
Axes of transport and public
movement (secondary & main axes)
Zones (C,D,E,F,G) sporting, service use, and industrial, with the consideration of
Environment, climate, winds All zones the recommendation of converting the proposed industrial
Waterways and Kahareez, green belts Zones (D,E,F,G) uses to an extreme easterly direction, because the prevailing
Economic costs for urban winds tend from it to the city outside. As a result, the industrial
All zones
development zone will not be surrounded by residential areas, since locating
Electric Stations &electric high facilities of pollution produced in a residential milieu is
Zones (D,E,F,G)
voltage line undesirable.
Pollution All zones Zone D: This zone is very likely to be classified as one of
the new expansion main areas, because of its large area, its flat
Equal weights have been given for all types of land uses by plain ground, and it is located on the main movement axis at
(X10) except for residential land use as it was given more the city eastern entrance, and it is bordered directly from the
weight, which is (3X10) because it mainly needs the land north by the international Road 47. Its urban development has
resource. It needs a large abundance of urban land, unlike

869
low economic costs, contains small kahareez, and requires the Zone J: This zone is located in a rugged and high
establishment of green belts on its southern side. The electric mountainous area north of the city, then, urban development
high voltage line passes in its middle. was economically costly. It has a medium area, and the
Zone E: This zone is also subject to urban development, historical Roman wall is placed on its eastern side. It is located
and is likely to become one of the main expansion areas, on a secondary axis, branched from the city center to the west.
because of its large area, its flat plain ground - especially for This zone is potential for tourism, entertainment, cultural, and
residential, commercial and service uses - its central location, administrative uses due to its view of the city. It is very limited
and its site on the road 47 directly and on the city main for the ability to locate residential use. It can be considered as
movement axis at its eastern entrance. Its urban development a tourist and cultural extension parallel to Zone A.
has low economic costs, contains small kahareez, and requires Zone T: Its area is small and separate from the city's major
the establishment of green belts on its southern side. The urban area. If it will be included in the future city master plan,
electric high voltage line passes in its middle. Generally, the it is an option to turn into a recreational sporting tourist center
two zones D and E are options for locating a new sector center that serves all the city sectors and its surroundings.
for the city in them, which are suitable for residential Nevertheless, it is certainly not an accurate decision to be a
expansion with most other land uses (commercial, cultural, basic expansion area, especially for residential use. The
administrative, sports, and green belts). Zone D is marked by current buildings and uses are tourism, entertainment, and
the possibility of locating a major part of industrial use, sporting use due to its fine microclimate and distinct site in the
particularly in its eastern part. valley on the path of the external road crossing Sinjar Mount.
Zone F and Zone G: These two zones are essential for The zone is a choice for the continued locating of tourist,
urban development due to their large area, their flat plainly, recreational, and sporting uses, in addition to its limited
and urban development has low economic costs. They are commercial and service uses (Figure 6).
located south of the city, bordered by the international Road
47 from the north. Each of the two zones represents an
extension of a major movement axis sloping from the city
center from the city's west side. They require establishing
green belts on their southern side. An electric high voltage line
passes through them. Zone F represents a natural extension of
the main valley that divides the city into two sides. Such a zone
is a good alternative to locate parks and recreation uses,
besides locating a sector center or establishing a civic
administrative and commercial center because of its central
location. It is also an option for residential expansion with
other land uses, such as administrative, cultural, and sports
activities. Zone G is a potential for a part of the residential,
commercial, administrative, cultural, and service extension,
and for a major part of the industrial activity, particularly in its Figure 6. Analysis of the prospective expansion zones
western side.
Zone H: It is located in the farthest area to the city's western
side. It has medium size; its land is rocky and rugged. 4. RESULTS OF ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Therefore, it is very expensive for urban development, it is
somewhat far from the main city movement axes, and it needs Results of the analysis, indicators of expansion
green belts on its western side. It is located on Sinjar Mount characteristics, and appropriate land uses are demonstrated in
foot, facing natural solar radiation. Thus, it is an opportunity Tables 3 and 4. Table 3 illustrates the results of the comparison
to locate a power plant station for solar cells. This zone is between the potential expansion areas of Sinjar according to
generally a preference for service and industrial uses. the diversity of land uses with convenience and capacity.

Table 3. The results of the comparison between the potential expansion areas of Sinjar according to the diversity of land uses
with convenience and capacity

Land Administration & Service Recreational & Sport canters & Green
ResidentialCommercial Industrial
uses cultural centres tourism clubs belts
Zone A ± ± +
Zone B - - ± + ±
Zone C + ± - + -
Zone D + ± ± + + - ±
Zone E + + + + ± - ±
Zone F + + + + ± - +
Zone G + - ± ± - +
Zone H + ± +
Zone J - ± + -
Zone T - - + +
Conscience with full capacity: +, Conscience with half capacity: ±
Conscience with full capacity: -

870
 Table 4. The results of the compatibility between the potential expansion areas of Sinjar according to weights for the
convenience and capacity of each land use

Sport
Land Administration Service Recreational Green Zone
Residential Commercial Industrial canters &
uses & cultural centres & tourism belts score
clubs
3*X X X X X X X X X
Weights
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 100
Zone A 0 0 5 0 0 10 0 0 15
Zone B 10 3 5 5 0 5 0 0 48
Zone C 10 5 0 5 10 0 3 0 53
Zone D 10 5 7 10 10 0 3 5 70
Zone E 10 10 10 10 0 7 3 5 75
Zone F 10 10 10 10 0 7 3 10 80
Zone G 10 5 5 5 3 0 0 10 58
Zone H 0 0 0 10 5 0 0 10 25
Zone J 3 0 5 0 0 10 0 3 27
Zone T 0 3 0 3 0 10 10 0 26

Figure 7. The distribution of suitable land uses and their weights over expansion zones

Table 4 illustrates the results of the compatibility between F due to its suitability for the sectoral urban center. Locating
the potential expansion areas of Sinjar according to weights tall buildings and large hotels in zones A, J, F because of their
for the convenience and capacity of each land use. As a result suitable location for such uses. Moving of construction
of what zone of the expansion zones were obtained from the materials shops from their current location in zone D to be
total scores, a first group with the highest grades can be close to the industrial area in the zone east part.
distinguished between (X15-X100). A second group got
grades between (X0 –X50). The first group includes the zones
F, D, G, E, and C, which got the weights X80, X70, X58, X57, 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
and X53 respectively. These zones are basic zones in urban
development because of their large area and central location. The analysis results of urban indicators that suggest the land
The second group includes zones B, J, H, T, and A which got use of each of the expansion alternative zones around Sinjar
the weights X48, X27, X25, X16, and X15 respectively. These city should be taken into account with a high degree of
zones are secondary and non-basic zones, and adequate for importance in formulating planning alternatives or scenarios
specific uses, due to their limited area and their peripheral or for the future master plan and in taking detailed design
lateral location from Sinjar urban spot (Table 4). decisions related to it. Sustainability principles should govern
Figure 7 shows in detail the distribution of suitable land uses the process of human, urban and economic development in
and their weights over expansion zones. According to analysis general, including housing development. The balance of urban
results, detailed decisions include: Transferring the development between the city's two sides should be considered,
international road 47 to another route outside and the south of and the causes of imbalance if any must be tracked. Sinjar is a
the expansion areas. Shifting the electric high voltage line model for the intermediate cities, which is heading for urban
outside the southern expansion zones to a path parallel to the expansion.
green belt track that borders the mentioned expansion zones GIS and On-site analysis of Sinjar's probable expansion
from the south. Proposing to locate the vertical housing in zone areas took into consideration most of their potentials and

871
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