Sustainable Urban Planning as an Effective Means for New Urban Communities Development (An Introduction to Charting Future Urban Planning Strategic Trends) Case Study City of Najaf

The notion of urban planning along with the process of urban development has been, for long periods of time, remote from the interests of those responsible for the planning process in developing countries, which led to the cities of these countries to lie under a heavy burden of problems that resulted from improper planning that began to accumulate continuously to till it reached an extent not to be overcome It is noteworthy that the site of the city is studied in terms that are economic and social, even political. Also, the land uses and the internal structure of the city along with the new plan of the site do all affect and get affected by the expansion to the north or to the west or by stopping the expansion. . The city& #039, s location and interior design are influenced by the importance of city as a political, industrial, commercial and agricultural center, beside the need for water, energy, transportation and natural resources. The city is expanding in specific directions according to its urban design. The aim of the research is to identify the possibilities of urban expansion of Najaf and what are the determinants of this expansion in order to develop solutions and planning treatments that are in line with the population increases of this city and the possibility of putting different services to the population and to enjoy the best infrastructure services to provide the requirements of living and economic and social wellbeing. Reasons for Urban Expansion is Population increases Social factors Economic factors and Axis of growth and urban expansion is Najaf Kufa corridor Najaf - Abu Sakhir corridor Najaf Karbala corridor Determinant Factors of Urbanization in Najaf is The direction of Najaf urbanization turned out to be towards one corridor, namely the Najaf Karbala and Najaf Abu Sakhir. This corridor does not have the potential for urbanization as in the Najaf-Karbala corridor, which is characterized by the existence of large areas of land that allow the extension of housing, The situation in the direction of Najaf - Kufa and Najaf - Abu Sakhir. The factors behind this were identified as follows The Valley of Peace Cemetery The city of Kufa The city of Abu Sakhir Sea of Najaf Through this study, the following conclusions were reached The city of Najaf expands towards the corridor of Najaf - Karbala after the identification of all corridors and The population increases in the city led to its urbanization and the need for housing units which it shows a need for each year and The urbanization of the city shows that the city Najaf is attractive to the population. The study recommends to the authorities, namely The Urban Planning Unit and the Municipality Directorate, both in Najaf, the following The need to have suitable housing units that are modern, urban and systematic to reduce the construction of random and unplanned housing units and The tendency to build residential complexes and selling them to citizens with deferred amounts (installment) to solve the housing crisis and to accommodate population increases and The tendency for vertical expansion and to sensitize the population of this matter which calls for investment areas that are less in proportion than the horizontal expansion.