Site Suitability Analysis for Condominium Housing development Using Geospatial Technology: A Case of Bishoftu City

Abstract

Nowadays, condominium houses have been steadily increasing in popularity in densely populated cities since demand for residential houses in urban areas has become a major problem facing cities planners today. With the high increase in urbanization due to the increase in the population, residential houses are becoming more difficult to find and afford. Planners aim at developing new ideas like affordable condominium house development to combat the high increase in demand for residential buildings. In recent times, different methods of analysis have been introduced that will help planners select the best locations to erect condominium houses. In this study, geographical information system (GIS) based multi criteria analysis (MCA) using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is the tool for identifying the potential areas. The main objective of this research is to analysis the availability of suitable condominium development sites in the Bishoftu urban council area. This research also identified criteria for residency and the extent to which its impact has influenced the creation of relevant condominium house development areas. Accordingly, this research also recognized GIS-AHP models as a cost-effective and time-efficient approach to spatial decision making. This research evaluated analytical methods by specifying the criteria in terms of slope, soil type, existing land use, and proximity analysis was also done to find out how (facilities, railway and highway, noisy and poisonous industry, high tension electric power line, and military camp and air force) are close to the study area. It could be concluded that in the Bishoftu urban council, 4.84% (982.85 hectares) of the total area of consideration (20578.9 hectares) is designated as a very high potential area for condominium house development, and 16.68% (3386.15 hectares), 37.01% (7513.15 hectares), and 41.27% (8376.97 hectares) is designated as a high, moderate and least potential area for condominium house development, respectively. Moreover, 0.2% (40.26 hectares) of the total area of consideration could be observed as unsuitable for condominium house development. Last but not least, it can be said that 21.52% of the total land area in the Bishoftu urban council is appropriate for condominium house development sites at different levels of suitability