Strategic analysis of urban development in Mokran coast with emphasis on housing construction pattern

Background and Purpose: The construction and development of new cities has been one of the prominent policies in spatial planning in recent decades. One of the regions with significant geopolitical and economic importance for the country is the Makran coastal area. Despite its unique geopolitical advantages, strategic economic position, and direct access to international waters and free trade zones, the Makran coast is still recognised as one of the country’s less developed regions. This contradiction highlights the need to reconsider regional development models. Despite the region’s strategic conditions, policymaking and planning for the design of a new city with an appropriate housing development model are considered essential and inevitable for the regional development of the Makran coast. Structural barriers, including legal restrictions and a lack of suitable investors, have hindered the development of the Makran region, despite its high potential, thereby removing it from development priorities. As a result, Makran’s strategic capacities remain underutilised.
Methodology: In this study, using a descriptive-analytical approach and based on theoretical and library research as well as a review of articles by international experts on urban development models, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of developing the Makran coastal region with a focus on housing construction have been examined. The findings indicate that targeted interventions could significantly enhance the region's infrastructure and living conditions. By harnessing local resources and engaging with community stakeholders, a sustainable development model can be established, ultimately revitalising the Makran coastline and boosting its economic prospects. In this study, using a descriptive-analytical approach and based on theoretical and library research as well as a review of articles by international experts on urban development models, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of developing the Makran coastal region with a focus on housing construction have been examined. For this purpose, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of developing the Makran coast through housing construction have first been categorised and evaluated using the SWOT matrix. This is because SWOT analysis, as a strategic tool, systematically identifies the key factors influencing the success of any initiative. This method is based on the principle that an effective strategy should simultaneously pursue three main objectives: strengthening strengths, leveraging opportunities, reducing weaknesses, and neutralising threats. By balancing internal and external factors, this analytical framework provides a solid scientific basis for strategic decision-making.
Findings and Discussion: The results indicate the necessity of adopting an aggressive strategy as the main approach in this area. Based on the primary strategy of the research, two secondary strategies were selected to assign attractiveness scores in the QSPM quantitative matrix. The results of this matrix show that the best aggressive sub-strategy for urban development in the Makran coasts, with an emphasis on the housing construction pattern, is the urban development strategy using horizontal expansion and the construction of single-story houses with courtyards in order to link residence to livelihood. The horizontal urban development approach depends on the availability of sufficient land in the study area, and the Makran coasts possess this capacity. With adequate land in this region, urban development can be achieved through the construction of single-story houses. In addition to being more quickly implementable than vertical development, the horizontal approach prevents the formation of densely populated and crowded cities and paves the way for the emergence of neighbourhoods and cities following the Iranian-Islamic model.
Conclusion: Given the cultural preference of the local residents for living in single-story villa houses rather than apartment buildings, allocating large plots of land and facilitating the construction of single-story residential units can serve as an effective strategy for attracting and retaining population in the coastal areas of Makran. Respecting local settlement patterns and formulating targeted policies strengthens the motivation for permanent residence and enhances economic productivity in Makran. Attracting population to the region paves the way for the effective utilisation of Makran’s productive and export capacities.