Study of factors influencing infill development (Case study of Sangelaj neighborhood, urban district 12, Tehran)

Introduction: Considering the challenges of the growing cities, today, the focus is put rather on the development of the existing neighborhoods through infill development. Infill development is indeed a type of development that, in contrast to other urban development policies, is made on the existing urban infrastructure and in the presence of the citizens and neighboring units. Sangelaj neighborhood, as a part of the historical body of Tehran city, is a worn-out urban texture (urban decay texture). The emergence of different problems in this field, such as reduced quality of life and human development indices, lack of full enjoyment of services and dwelling (house) among resident families, …, has attracted the attention toward the use of the infill development by reviving the existing capacities of the neighborhood as a worn-out texture. The present study is aimed to identify the factors affecting the realization of infill development in three dimensions of space quality, residents' contribution, and investment of stakeholders in this neighborhood. Methodology: The present applied study was conducted using the analytical-descriptive correlational method. The study was conducted in Sangelaj neighborhood in District-12 of Tehran city. The study population included 3 groups: residents, capital owners, and passing people (strangers). The sample size was estimated as 378 individuals for residents, 83 individuals for capital owners, and 384 individuals for passing people, who were selected by stratified sampling from all three groups using the randomized convenience sampling method. Data collection was performed using 3 researcher-made questionnaires (for residents, capital owners, and passing people). Then, the collected data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, regression, AHP, and clocklike binary comparison methods. Results: Among all factors (i.e. space quality, contribution, and investment), space quality was identified as the most important factor in infill development. Among the factors affecting the space quality, space dynamism with a coefficient of 0.830, security with a coefficient of 0.349, and sports spaces and facilities with a coefficient of 0.136 affected the space quality in this neighborhood. Among the factors affecting the residents' contribution, neighboring relationships with a coefficient of 0.709 was the most important factor that was directly related to the residents' contribution. Next to it, trust in the government, interaction with neighborhood council, tendency for living in the neighborhood after reconstruction, and economic profit were the factors that were placed on the next ranks, respectively. Furthermore, among the factors affecting private investment, license issuance loan with a coefficient of 0.568 was the most important factor that was directly related to the tendency for investment. Also, house construction loan and incentive density were the other factors that were placed on the next ranks, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, for improving the urban regions, it is necessary to adopt the infill development approach in order to improve regions with low attractiveness for reconstruction and low tendency for construction (in terms of space quality, residents' contribution, and house construction loans).