Understanding the Urban Planning-Green Space Depletion Nexus: Insights from the Kwabre East Municipality, Ghana

Urban green spaces have multiple benefits but face intense pressure, particularly in rapidly developing cities of sub-Saharan Africa. Efforts to promote urban greenery in city development have identified numerous factors that contribute to the depletion of green spaces (GS). However, what is less clear is the changes in GS and the influence of urban planning practices on spatial depletion of GS. This study uses Kwabre East Municipality, Ghana, as a case study to examine the changes in GS (conditions) and the influence of urban planning practices (i.e. policies, regulations, plans and actors) on spatial depletion of GS by using face to face interviews, field observations, photographs, GIS information and secondary data from journal articles along with examining policies and plans. This study indicates that GS has decreased within 15 years from 71% in 2000 to 61% in 2010 to 42% in 2015. The built-up areas expanded from 12% in 2000 to 22% in 2010 and escalated to 55% in 2015. This is attributed to the uncooperativeness of traditional authorities, lack of public support and advocacy to preserve green spaces and high demand for residential land. The study demonstrates that the challenges of urban planning practice are related to the absence of a single policy document with clear cut regulations to guide GS management in the country and plans and actors give less priority to GS. The study suggests strengthening the enforcement of land-use plans and regulations and prioritizing GS in peri-urban towns as an equally important urban land use.