A review of land-use planning laws in Kenya: Challenges and opportunities for urban landscape identity and memory in new developments and renewals

Abstract

Land use plays a crucial role in delivering the diverse goods and services essential to urban life, encompassing housing, transportation, recreation, and other amenities. Effective land-use planning is facilitated by comprehensive laws and policy regulations that coordinate various urban projects. These regulations must adequately address critical elements of urban landscape identity and memory, particularly in the context of new developments and renewal initiatives. However, such elements are often inadequately considered, jeopardising continuity and coherence within urban environments. Existing literature has noted the significance of urban landscape identity and memory but has insufficiently emphasised their integration into the legal and policy frameworks governing urban development and renewal, which is vital for sustaining rapidly evolving urban landscapes. This review article focuses on land-use laws and policies in Kenya, employing qualitative research methods that include a content analysis of secondary data sourced from government documents and official repositories. The findings reveal that key aspects of urbanism and sustainable development related to urban landscape identity and memory are not adequately reflected in current legislation. Consequently, this article urges the incorporation of these aspects into existing land-use laws. The insights generated by this study are particularly relevant for policymakers and authorities responsible for overseeing urban development and renewal, ensuring adherence to comprehensive land-use regulations.