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Formulation of A Sustainable Development Methodology for Tanta City-

Egypt, in Guidance of Local Development Experiences and their Positive Role
in Managing the Urban Environment

Conference Paper · December 2008

DOI: 10.13140/2.1.2691.2962

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 Seventh International Conference
Role of Engineering towards a Better Environment
RETBE'08
"Environmental Changes: Challenges & Opportunities"
Faculty of Engineering - Alexandria University
Alexandria, Egypt.
December 20-22, 2008

Paper Title:
“Formulation of A Sustainable Development Methodology for Tanta City- Egypt,
in Guidance of Local Development Experiences and their Positive Role in Managing the
Urban Environment”
،‫ ﻣﺼﺮ‬- ‫" ﻭﺿﻊ ﻣﻨﻬﺠﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﳌﺴﺘﺪﺍﻣﺔ ﳌﺪﻳﻨﺔ ﻃﻨﻄﺎ‬
" ‫ﰱ ﺿﻮﺀ ﲡﺎﺭﺏ ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﶈﻠﻴﺔ ﻭ ﺩﻭﺭﻫﺎ ﺍﻹﳚﺎﰉ ﰱ ﺇﺩﺍﺭﺓ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﺮﺍﻧﻴﺔ‬

Accordance to Conference Topics:

1- Sustainable Development & Environmental Management

Code: EG3

Authors’ Affiliation:
● Assoc.Prof.Arch. / Yasser El-Sayed Fouda
Associate Professor of Architecture and Urban Planning at:
- Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,
Tanta University, Tanta.
● Arch.Eng. / Bahaa El-Din Abd El-Latif El-Boushy
- Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,
Tanta University, Tanta.

Communication: ‫ ﻳﺎﺳــﺮ ﺍﻟﺴـﻴﺪ ﻓـــﻮﺩﺓ‬/.‫ﻡ‬.‫ﻡ‬.‫ﺩ‬

Dr.Arch.Eng. / Yasser E. Fouda ،‫ )ﻣﻜﺮﺭ( ﺷﺎﺭﻉ ﺍﻟﺪﻛﺘﻮﺭ ﺇﺑﺮﺍﻫﻴﻢ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺪ‬١
Address : 1(R) Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Sayed Street,
،‫ ﺑﺎﺏ ﺷﺮﻕ‬- ‫ﺍﳊﻰ ﺍﻟﻼﺗﻴﲎ‬
Latin Quarter, Bab Shark,
Alexandria 21131, Egypt. .‫ ﲨﻬﻮﺭﻳﺔ ﻣﺼﺮ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ‬- ٢١١٣١ ‫ﺍﻹﺳﻜﻨﺪﺭﻳﺔ‬
Tel./Fax.: (03) 3911529 (٠٣) ٣٩١١٥٢٩ : ‫ﻓـﺎﻛﺲ‬/‫ﻫﺎﺗﻒ‬
Mobile : 012 3935183 ٠١٢ ٣٩٣٥١٨٣ : ‫ﻣـﺤـﻤـﻮﻝ‬
E-mail : fouday@dataxprs.com.eg fouday@dataxprs.com.eg :‫ﺍﻟﱪﻳﺪ ﺍﻹﻟﻜﺘﺮﻭﱏ‬
 Formulation of A Sustainable Development Methodology for Tanta City-
Egypt, in Guidance of Local Development Experiences and their Positive
Role in Managing the Urban Environment

Assoc.Prof.Arch./ Yasser El-Sayed Fouda*, Eng.Arch./ Bahaa El-Din Abd El-Latif El-Boushy
Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tanta University, Tanta.

*1(R) Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Sayed Street, Latin Quarter, Bab Shark, Alexandria 21131, Egypt.
Tel/Fax: (03)3911529 - Mobile: 012 3935183, Email: fouday@dataxprs.com.eg

Key Words: Environmental Planning, Urban Development, Regional Planning,

Sustainable Development, Urban Forms Sustainability.
Abstract
Sustainable development with its participating aspects in Architectural and Urban Planning fields is
considered one of the most important components for solving various conflicts. Environmental, social,
and municipal conflicts characterizing the urban environment of many Egyptian cities form a major
challenge of obstacles, like the absence of a reliable database for the municipalities and infra structure
of a city, the emergent need to roads deviation conflicting with organizing urban lines, and removing
occupied structures, the financing problem, the absence of public awareness, as well as the
centralization of issued decisions and administrative bureaucracy, all resemble current and persisting
challenges to the aimed developmental process –already in action– in some of these cities.
The study tries to advance an adapting methodology that can deal with problems of urban
environment, relying on different experiences that succeeded in other localities used to suffer from
similar problematic symptoms, and emphasizing the future dimension of such treatment. The selection
of Tanta city as a study case relied on its high resemblance to a special type of cities of geographic,
historic, tourism and nodal transportation importance.
The aimed methodology is developed as an executive plan propagating in urban and socioeconomic
axes throughout a hierarchy of technical steps. Taking into account the potentiality of religious tourism
characterizing the city – as many similar ones in Egypt – the plan stands along the urban conflict
occurring between the historic core and the surrounding crowded districts of the city. The proposed
plan is to be submitted as an applicable prototype that would succeed in treating similar cases of
Egyptian cities of special historic and geographic character.

Introduction
There is a severe need to acquire a comprehensive and effective methodology to deal with the current
impacts of local communities in Egypt, due to the significant deterioration reached in various
communities in different fields, especially in the urban context. However, by carefully reviewing the
developmental experiences which have taken place in some local communities, it would be noticed
that some of these experiences have achieved their objectives – or a considerable portion of them – for
reaching the aimed development. And by studying these experiences, various assistant points would be
found giving a considerable thrust and guidance to formulate a clear view within planners and decision
makers for putting the appropriate action plan for developing a certain community throughout points
of similarity between these pilot studies and the aimed ones. This may take place within their
succeeded methods of resolution followed to resolve their problems, and their extent of success, and
the obstacles that contradicted their paths.
This research advances a trial to deduce a certain method that may assist in formulating a
developmental plan for the local communities, based on previous success in other localities with
certain similarity to the concerned problematic communities. And also, it puts a development plan for
one of the most important communities overloaded with problems impacting its urban environment,
the city of Tanta, located in the mid-Delta region.

RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT P. 1

The research procedures and methods used to reach the proposed plan acted in various axes:
First: Studying the urban, socioeconomic problems of the study case: Tanta city.
Second: Having a focused look on previous studies carried for development local experiences.
Third: Analysis of previous experiences and putting them in a comparative study to deduce the most
appropriate action plan suitable to the study case city.
Fourth: Formulating a detailed methodology for sustainable development for Tanta city throughout the
points of similarity between it and the other communities with successful experiences.
Problematic Current Situation of Tanta City [1]
Resembling the center of the Nile delta, Tanta city is locally considered as of a special importance as it
acts as an important binding node among various Egyptian cities and villages, which led the city to be
aimed for visitors and travelers. Tanta city is witnessing a vast development in its urban skeleton, as
well as an increase in its population. As this increase was not planned for, and the city is devoid of any
clear and determined plan for the city expansion, this situation has led to various problems to take
place, resembled in the significant shortage of infrastructure and utilities, the formulation of slums,
and many other problems affecting the urban, environmental, and socioeconomic aspects. The main
aspects and locations of these problems are illustrated in Figure (1), and the photos 1,2,3, & 4.
Infra structure and Streets Network
Resembled in the deteriorated condition of the streets network, and the shortage of water supply and
sanitary sewage networks and their insufficiency due to the increasing load acting upon them.
Civilized appearance
Loss of the relieving visual
picture of the city, as well as
the loss of visual experience,
hierarchy, landmarks, and the
deteriorated condition of
various buildings elevations.
The deteriorated situation of
the city religious center, and
neglecting its beneficial
aspect as a main tourism
feature in the whole region
encountering the "Badawy"
mosque and its surroundings.
Municipal Deterioration
Increase of number of slum
areas, and the deteriorated
condition of the urban form,
and gathering medical and
educational services in
certain areas other than
nearby areas, and land use
interference.
Transportation and Traffic
Traffic congestion and
extreme difficulty of reaching
certain areas especially in
city center, besides the
problem of local and regional
roads penetrating the city
with all related unsuitable
transportation means. Figure 1, a diagram illustrating the main urban conflicts and problems
superimposed over a map for the core urban fabric of Tanta city.

RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT P. 2

Common Environmental Defects
Environmental impacts are mainly classified into air pollution, noise, visual pollution, and continuous
conflict between urban limits and agricultural land, causing the decay of the last with unsteady rates.
Socioeconomic Impacts [1]
Social problems are resembled by illiteracy and the deterioration of population living standards, while
the economic problems are resembled with unemployment and lack of job opportunities, and non-
exploitation of the tourism potential of the historic and religious city center which would have helped
significantly in the welfare of the whole region. Also non-exploitation of the agricultural pockets
located within the urban fabric has already caused a lost opportunity towards taking advantage of the
necessary and suitable land uses.

(1) (2) (3) (4)

Photos (1, 2, 3, and 4) A group of photos illustrating the conflicts of urban environment in Tanta city
1- Spreading of waste dumping areas
2- Infra structure deterioration
3- Ill appearance of buildings facades and penetrating railway lines
4- Land use interference

Obstacles Hindering City Development

Developmental obstacles are mainly caused by certain un-editable current and persisting situations like
the unstudied alteration of roads paths and directions, uncalculated expansions of squares which cause
the retreatment of curb and organizational lines and the un-implementable removal of certain
constructions. Also obstacles like the unavailability of the appropriate funding for the upgrading
process, or wasting it on secondary matters and not focusing on the primary matters. However, the
centralization of decisions, and administrative bureaucracy, especially in local councils bear the main
burden and the majority of the responsibility of the developmental process deviation from its main
targeted path.

Research Issue and Previous Experiences

A) The Experience of "Qena" City
Studies reveal that Qena city (in upper Egypt) has suffered for a long period of time - during the past
decades - from various problems in different fields [2], mainly resembled in:
First: Urban Problems
Infrastructure and Streets Network Problems: Deteriorating and aging state of infrastructure networks,
and mal functioning conditions of roads and streets. Accumulation of solid waste in many locations,
the absence of streets illumination in some locations, and its lacking in other, also informal occupancy
and surpassing along the streets paths.
Civil Appearance and Urban Landscape: Squares deterioration, absence of urban organization and
green areas, deterioration of the Nile banks and cornice and missing its suitable appearance, and
facades depriving cleanliness and finishing in most locations.

RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT P. 3

Urban and Municipal Deterioration: Multitude of slums and the deterioration of its urban state and its
living standards. The lack of various social and recreational services, and the interference of
workshops in residential areas, and mal-use of vacant land, and the dispersion of environmental
pollution due to uncleanness.
Transportation and Traffic: Congestion problems, crowd, jam, parking, internal transportation.
Second: Socioeconomic Problems
Most of the socioeconomic problems are acted by unemployment, illiteracy, crime rate increase, living
standards declination. The most significant problems are acted by the unexploited mining wealth and
absence of handcrafts, and declination in agricultural activity in spite the presence of vast reclaimable
and cultivable areas. In the tourism sector as an effective part of the economic aspect, the city has lost
its tourism attraction potential in spite the presence of "Dandarah" area nearby, which significantly
helped in this loss is the disentanglement of Luxor city from Qena Governorate.
Laid Plan for Problems Resolving
The development plan of Qena city [2] was initiated by the taken decisions to assign an information
bank and retrieve it with complete information sets about all fields and activities of the current
situation of the city, and upon which an effective strategy would be formulated based on a studied
scientific methodology. The formulated development plan was put in action, as shown in figure 2,
through certain objectives and implementation axes.

Figure 2, shows the main axes of proposed plan objectives and mechanisms.

Proposed Plan Objectives

Urban Axis
Through the urban axis, the development plan has aimed the renewal of city infrastructure, streets
paving, renewing and upgrading streets banks and removing informal occupancy and surpassing along
the streets paths and removing solid waste from streets and vacant land parcels, implementing streets
cleaning system and waste removal system, organizing traffic to minimize congestions and crowds,
also resolving the vehicles parking problem, and working on upgrading the city picturesque
appearance through emphasizing the visual sequence and urban landmarks.
Economic Axis
Industry: throughout widening the manufacturing base of the city and to advance new investment
opportunities for raising the economic level.
Agriculture: throughout reclamation of new adjacent desert land, for the primary benefit of youth and
low income families, and for the purpose of multiplying the agricultural yields production.
Tourism: Formulation of interest plans caring for all locations especially monumental localities,
beautifying and them and illuminating all leading paths, construction of Nile moorings for tourists
transportation, construction of the Nile cornice, museums and hotels and tourism serving projects like
the "Sound and Light Project" at "Dandarah" temple and parks. The urban environment development
and advancing project here was a direct aim among tourism development aims.
Social Axis
A plan was put for the formulation of an integrated study aiming to treat current social problems which
are continuously and persistently considered the main developmental obstacle, like tribalism and
fanaticism and foci of retaliation conflicts, the increase of illiteracy and unemployment ratios, which

RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT P. 4

can be resisted by different industrial and cleaning projects and solid waste–organic fertilizers
conversion facilities, and others. Also, the study emphasized the availability of fundamental social
services and raising living standards and cultural, social, and environmental awareness as a main lead
to raising behavior standards.
An executive plan has been formulated for the implementation of these axes through mechanisms
identified as follows:
Proposed Plan Mechanism
Manner of: Administration, Organization, Supervision, and Monitoring
Plan Issues: A time schedule was put for the developmental plan [2], with phase-divisions, and
commitment intention, besides aggregation of all posed developmental plans, and hurrying preliminary
implementation of a portion of plan issues for winning credibility and to guarantee solidarity of the
public.
Administrations Issues: It was imposed to activate and apply an environmental management system
according to international standards (ISO14001) [2], also, participation in different programs and
projects for administration support and improvement and for activating programs of upgrading,
maintenance, cooperation and integration among different administrations, and identification of
responsibilities, and monitoring and watching developmental operations, and canceling the postal
handwriting communications and depending on faster means like personal interviewing, and emailing.
Also the plan posed unexceptional enforcement of laws and legislations, and imposing immediate
inhibitive fines and penalties upon violations.
Public Participation Issues: Working on catalyzing different people categories for their participation to
the developmental process, and organizing weekly meetings between the public and those in charge
for recognizing current and expected problems and to collaboratively work on resolving them.
Manner of: Funding
The fundamental concept followed in the manner of funding is advantageous directing of self-funding
sources, and accounts income specified for the implementation of developmental plans, and un-
fragmenting the available budget and putting an optimistic plans for taking maximum advantage of
funding opportunities, and sorting of developmental priorities that need funding. Concerning the
funding sources, it was necessary to acquire a role for public participation throughout donations and
symbolic fees accompanied with different services, besides the necessity to achieve the maximum
advantage for all available local resources, equipments, mechanical devices, efforts, and available
human powers.
Manner of: Implementation
Plan was implemented through agreeing upon various concepts, and they were as follows:
- Comprehensive and not partial implementation in rebuilding the infrastructure of the whole city, and
in one lot, so as not to re-excavate after paving, and thus wasting public finance.
- Studied linkage, organization, and gradation between infrastructure works, and beautification and
cleaning, with commitment to the highest quality specifications.
- Concentration of work power, and organization between firms for working along the 24 hours, and
increasing the working labor to guarantee the rapid work accomplishment.
- Formulation of working groups for maintenance work in all concerned specializations.
- To maintain implementation discipline, efficiency, and quality, monitoring committees where
formulated for supervising, inspecting, and following-up required works, and for registration of
lacking aspects, and enforcement of inhibiting punishments and fines.
- Depending on the local labor instead of major firms, in all projects inside the city to help resolving
the unemployment problem.
Final Image of the Experience
This practical experience [2] -besides correcting all previously mentioned problems- has gained the
following achievements:

RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT P. 5

- Organizing and resolving traffic conflicts, and converting narrow streets to a unidirectional paths,
identification of distinct path lines of taxis, microbuses, "taftaf" (a local transportation means), in
certain streets conjugated with certain colours of these vehicles. Also, complete prohibiting of all
forms of animals, mobile sellers, from passing along the streets.
- Construction of the Nile cornice project 3 km long, including recreational services, walk passages,
sitting benches, and green areas.
- Public participation of residents in all age phases and capabilities, under specialized supervision.
- A comprehensive upgrade for all touristic and historic sites (the temple of "Dandarah" area), and
widening the main road leading to it, and constructing two separated minor roads for serving the
peasants and for preventing any traffic interference between tourists convoys and peasants
mechanicals. Also the construction of "Dandarah" bridge for tourists arriving from Hurgada, as for a
practical action, 6 buildings and a four storey residence where removed from the road to the temple.
- Evacuating the city from workshops and factories (680 workshops) and transforming them to the
industrial zone newly constructed on an area of 50 feddans1, and aggregating kiosks in a market.
Impediments Faced the Experience [2]
- Absence of an up-to date database for utilities and infrastructure works of the city before the
renovation and upgrading process.
- Upgrading process would require an alteration of some streets paths and flow directions, and squares
extending, which occasionally require a recess in the organizing line and removal of civil occupied
buildings.
- Tribal social aspects which hindered upgrading terms.
- Funding of civilian buildings upgrade.
- Decisions centralization, and administrative bureaucracy, especially in local councils.
Obstacles where conveniently humbled according to their type and extent, and with the most suitable
administrative, financial, and technical method, aided by excellence and experienced leadership.

B) The Experience of "Damanhour" City

With various points of similarity to Qena, Damanhour city has suffered from [3],[4]:
The Infrastructure and Streets Network Problems: Resembled in the deteriorating state of
infrastructure networks, and short coverage of the sanitary network with respect to the available
districts and sectors, and the deterioration of the streets grid due to the absence of streets hierarchy and
the narrowness of many streets, besides the accumulation of solid waste in many locations.
Civil Appearance and Urban Landscape: Resembled in the deterioration of squares, absence of urban
organization and rarity of green areas.
Urban and Municipal Deterioration: Resembled in the random undirected growth of the city, and the
decay of agricultural land, interference of workshops and residential areas, and the dispersion of
environmental pollution due to non-cleanliness.
Transportation and Traffic: Penetration of the railway lines to the urban conglomeration of the city, as
well as penetration of regional traffic roads to the city sectors, the absence of a strong linkage between
the city entrances and the internal road grid, traffic congestions and jams, and also the problem of
parking lots and the transportation inside the city.
Laid Plan for Problems Resolving
Through the urban axis, the development plan has aimed the renewal and completion of city
infrastructure [3],[4], streets paving, renewing and upgrading streets banks, removal of solid waste
from streets, implementing a ring road around and outside the city to separate regional traffic and also
addition of bridges to link between the two banks of the city penetrated by the railway line, taking
advantage of the vacant land parcels inside the city for fulfilling shelter needs, isolation of the
industrial zone at the southern part of the city and buffering it with a cultivated pocket with no

1
A unit for measuring areas, commonly used in agricultural land and equals to 4200 m2.

RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT P. 6

constructions, resolving the parking problem through implementing an aggregated parking lot at the
city suburbs, and working on upgrading the city form beautification and emphasizing the visual
gradation and urban landmarks.
Final Image of the Experience
- Streets paved, and upgraded streets banks.
- Absence of accumulated waste on the roads banks and vacant lands, and caring with cleanliness of
all streets, and waste removal with municipal vehicles.
- Forming intermediate roads islands and landscaping and cultivating them with trees.
- Transferring all public transportation vehicles parking areas for cities and villages to the aggregated
parking at the city suburbs.
- Beautifying the city entrances and upgrading all circumscribing areas.
- Upgrading all squares and beautifying them with trees, formation elements and illumination posts.
- Automatically organizing the traffic mobility, and pedestrian crossings using light signals.
Impediments Faced the Experience
- Upgrading process would require an alteration of some streets paths and flow directions, and squares
extensions, which occasionally require a recess in organizing lines and removal of occupied buildings.
- Funding of buildings upgrade.
- Decisions centralization, and administrative bureaucracy, especially in local councils.
Plan Deduced from Previous Experiences for Resolving Problems of Tanta City
Analysis of solutions mentioned in previous experiences, listed in table I, with their suitability scope
for applying in Tanta city.

Table I, Listing the solution items with their expected suitability to apply in Tanta city.
Problem
Environmental Deterioration
Slums Dispersion
Land use Interference
Traffic Jams, Congestions, and
Problem of Transportation and
Regional Roads
Urban Visual Distortion
Deteriorated Conditions of
Streets
Waste Dispersion and
Environmental Pollution
Ignorance of Touristic Areas
Shortage of Municipal Services,
and their Centralization
Solution Suitability in "Tanta" City
Comprehensive manipulation suits the infrastructure problem, but the funding problem would
obscure this solution, thus a multi phase solution would be relevant
Proposed action would mainly involve caring with such areas, and enrolling them in
developmental and upgrading programs and plans.
It is difficult to evacuate all workshops, but an appropriate solution would include putting certain
conditions for workshops located inside the residential areas, and removing those who do not
comply with these conditions.
Appropriate solution: to transfer all transportation parking lots to an aggregated one at the city
suburbs, but still, difficulty persists in allocating the suitable area.
Also, it is advisable to prohibit animals from moving along the streets, but this would contradict
with a certain population depending on these animals in their living, thus it is a must to provide
them with alternate jobs and works.
An appropriate solution would include removal of all adhesive posters and advertisements due to
their severe negative effect.
Formulation of a specialized Architectural committee for judgment of the manner of individually
painting the buildings according to their styles and types, and identifying the suitable method of
dealing with building distorting the picturesque view of the city, with enforcing certain
regulations for the Architectural styles adopted for the newly constructed buildings, especially in
squares and also, putting their distinctive landmarks.
Paving streets is always faced with funding problems, and the presence of extremely narrow
streets and paths difficult to pave, thus an alternate method should be substituted for preparing
these streets either by compressing or any other inexpensive method.
Renovation of pavements (streets sides) is appropriate, and restrictions should be imposed on
their widths and finishing materials by means of estates owners.
Activation of cleanliness projects concerned with removal of waste by special vehicles, to
recycling and fertilizers facilities.
Such projects are already available, but severely needing upgrading.
Developing touristic areas resembled in the historic heart of the city, and that needs placing
tourists attraction activities, and evacuating it from distorting activities.
Revising all services available in the city districts, and those devoid of these services. Planning
the insertion of vital services to services-vacant places, aiming to achieving self sustainability for
each sector separately.

Analysis of Obstructions Hindering the Developmental Process of Tanta City

Obstacles found to be hindering the developmental process of "Qena" and "Damanhour" cities were
found to be mostly congruent to those found in Tanta city, and may be classified as follows:

RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT P. 7

Urban Obstacles
Urban obstacles are mainly resembled in some buildings occupying an area needed to be expanded
somehow, but evacuating or removing these buildings is a major difficulty, as they may form a newly
constructed estate fortune and may be in a good condition. Also, urban obstacles may be resembled by
its narrow streets and paths difficult to upgrade and pave, and hindering services from reaching certain
areas which may cause a direct obstruction to develop these areas, this is besides other problems that
conflict with a realistic urban situation difficult to alter.
Economic Obstacles
They are resembled in most of the cases in the financial aspects and difficulties in funding some of the
developmental axes. Also, it includes interference of commercial and industrial land uses with the
residential one, which acts as a difficulty in developing certain areas, and incapability of reaching the
aimed objectives especially in the case of incapability of moving such land uses to other localities
distant from the residential zone.
Social and Cultural Obstacles
The most effective socio-cultural obstacles are resembled in absence of awareness in the concerned
community of the importance of development, and the individual role of every person in implementing
it. This causes the resistance and the delay of several developmental plans, besides reducing their
efficiency. Also, the presence of an illiteracy percentage makes the main developmental defect in
some deteriorated areas.
Administrative Obstacle
Acting on several axes, the most important axis is the un-integrity and mal organization among the
administrative roles responsible to maintain the aimed development [5]. The conflict between
developmental plans of each administration and the absence of a large-scale comprehensive plan to
sort and organize between these plans would share as an administrative obscure. Enthroning the
previous impediments is the absence of an up-to-date reliable and sufficient database covering the
areas in desperate need for upgrade.
Resulting from these impediments the developmental decisions facing the obstacles are divided into
three sections:
- Un-executable decisions or decisions difficult to implement
… for obstacles unable to deal with, dealing should be with overcoming the obstacles in the first place
- Decisions needing unavailable budgets
… for funding obstacles, there are two ways to handle them:
- Finding new alternate ways for furnishing funds through public participation
- Finding other solutions of less and modest funding needs
- Unstudied administrated decisions, or decisions leading to un-sustained development, or in other
words crippling sustainable development decisions
… for administrative obstacles, there is a necessity to resolve through the dispersion of public
developmental awareness, and stimulus for development in the administrative institutions besides the
urgent need to establish the organizer between these administrations responsible of development
assurance. It is also important to expose the decisions to specialists to judge their validity and
implementation suitability.
Proposed Plan for the Development of Tanta City
General Implementation Mechanisms of the Proposed Plan
Throughout analyzing the followed solutions in the previously illustrated experiences, it was found
that it is not possible for a developmental plan to take place and conveniently fulfill its results for
improving the community status except through certain mechanisms and conditions:
First: Complete coordination between administrations and personnel responsible of city development
Second: Identification of development priorities, focusing on and starting by them, with execution
rapidity and unity

RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT P. 8

Third: Putting a comprehensive plan for all developmental axes to direct work thrust, and to
coordinate between the plan axes
Fourth: The importance of motivating and encouraging the public participation through developing
plan credibility
Resolving Directions of the Proposed Plan
The aimed plan would be illustrated in the form of an executive work schedule, as shown in table II, with
execution priorities, responsible authorities, and funding resources.
Table II, A brief illustration of the executive work plan
Problem Solution Priority and
Designation Importance
Deterioration of Considered as a keystone of the
Infrastructure city development. Maximum
priority.
Deterioration of High priority, as it is the most
Streets and Roads sensed problem and the most
clearly viewed, and it thrusts the
plan credibility that encourages
the public acceptance and
participation.
Traffic Jams and Solving such problems is of a
Congestions, considerable importance, with no
Transportation expected high expenses
Problem and
Regional Roads
Garbage It is of considerable importance
Dispersion and and priority, due to its effective
Environmental hygienic and psychological
Pollution effects on individuals (residents
or visitors). Rapid start for
problem remedy is advised due
to gigantic implications of the
cleanliness problem
Urban Visual No importance for this problem
Distortion to be rapidly resolved, but a
future plan could be formulated
to implement the solution in
phases and steps, through a
specified period of time
Land Uses Although solving such problems
Interference forms a great necessity, the
solution would last for a period
of time
Shortage and No specified high priority, but a
Centralization of time schedule would be put for
Services fulfilling the services needs
Neglecting No specified high priority, but a
Touristic Areas time schedule would be put,
although the high potentiality it
may form for upgrading a vast
areas of the city
Slum Areas [6] Multi-Phase gradual
implementation plan
RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT
Expected Obstacles and
Solution Steps and Proposed
their Overcoming
Projects
Method
Preferable to divide the city into sectors,
with multi-phase implementation plan
Paving streets and modifying bumps, and
should be in sequence with the previous
problem, so as to upgrade streets after
finalizing the infrastructure works.
Renovation of pavements and caring with
its forms and appearance and freeing them
from violations and occupations.
Putting a studied action plan for traffic
1- Expected funding problems,
mobility, and advancing it to execution.
thus resorting:
Considering future actions for transferring
- Inexpensive untraditional
transportation means parking lots to more
methods
convenient location at city suburbs
- Encouraging public
Cleaning vacant land parcels from waste
participation
Upgrading garbage transportation projects
- Putting an increase in services
so as to include all the city limits, and
salaries and wages, to assist
enforcing penalties and fines on any
funding increase
misconduct that may contribute distorting
2- Public awareness problem of
the city cleanliness
development, participation, and
preservation, would be solved
through:
Appointing a specialized committee for - Emphasizing credibility by
judging the building forms and the way of administrative bodies
dealing with the deteriorated ones causing - Encouraging public
distortion to the civilized appearance of participation through beneficial
the city exchange between citizens,
Caring for squares upgrading, and putting investors, and companies
distinctive landmarks expressing the - Imprinting posters that
urban, cultural and touristic character of clarifies the importance of
the city public participation in
Needed time for advancing the suitable developmental actions, as well
places for workshops (new and old) and as its preservation, and
organizing the administrative situation of cringing obstacles before the
the current owners, putting a time span for participants
such treatment up to three years 3- Problem of coordination
Putting special regulations and conditions between administrations and
on land uses inside the urban cluster, developmental plans, minding:
specially for workshops, and removing or - Appointing a development
transferring contradicting uses specialized committee in all
A comprehensive survey for investigating administrations and coordinate
insufficiency of services in city sectors, between them, following a
and dealling with each sector individually unique plan studied by
untill all elementary services are fulfilled specialists in development
Upgrading the historic heart of the city affairs
through a studied plan
Gradual evacuation of this sensitive area
from irrelevant activities and uses
Specification of location for constructing
tourism-attractive activities
Beautification of the touristic zone and
caring to its cleanliness
Considered as development enthroning,
and a successful proposed solution would
involve caring with these harmed areas
and enrolling them in intended
developmental plans
P. 9
 Recommended Measures in Putting Development Plans for Other Communities
Taking advantage of previous successful experiences for putting other developmental plans for other
localities is considered a time, effort, and expenses saving method [7]. Also within the same
developmental plan, this would give a positive chance in overcoming all problems and conflicts in
putting future phases in action, especially when a similarity occurs among certain items of the same
plan. Through putting the previously shown plan for upgrading Tanta city, it was found that certain
points would be taken into consideration to reach useful and fruitful results, like:
- Selection of previously performed experiences in such a way to have similar features between them
and the communities aimed for development
- Using more than one experience –according to the available– to guarantee better and more precise
results, with no restrictions on plans of high percentage of success, but advantage could be taken even
from those plans that showed shortage and problems
- Focusing on points of success in the plan and studying implementation possibility
- Investigating the points of shortage in all previously performed plans, for avoiding their repetition in
the proposed developmental plan
- Utilization of advanced technical monitoring and analysis tools like image processing and GIS
(Geographic Information Systems) techniques, digital upgradable database, for precise identification
of differences, alterations and violations, which can then be more easily resisted and treated.

Acknowledgment
The authors are deeply indebted to the General Authority of Urban Planning, Behera Governorate, and
Urban Planning Authority at Delta Region, for their assistance in supplying with the general plan data
of "Damanhour" and "Tanta" cities, and for their valuable help, during the practical phase of the
research work.

References
[1] (U.P.A.) Urban Planning Authority at Delta Region: The General Plan of Tanta City , 1997.
[2] Said, H.A.: Features and patterns of Sustainable Development of Egyptian Cities (Development of Kena
City as an Idol within the Experience and Results), The Sixth International Architectural Conference,
Assiut University, March 2005.
[3] (G.A.U.P.) General Authority of Urban Planning: Structural and General Planning Project of Damanhour
City , Behera Governorate, January 1989.
[4] (G.A.U.P.) General Authority of Urban Planning: Renovation of the General Plan of Damanhour City ,
Behera Governorate, December 2002.
[5] EL-Sherief D.M.M.: Sustainable Management of Urban Environment in Developing Countries (A Work
Frame for Institutional Development with Special Mentioning of Egyptian Cities), Cairo University,
Faculty of Engineering, September 2003.
[6] Soleiman H.M.H.: A Proposed Model for the Balance and Integration of Local Communities in the
Context of Sustainable Development – Deteriorated Urban Areas in Egypt and Developing Countries,
Master thesis, Tanta University, 2005.
[7] Fouda, Y.E.: Sustainable Management of Scarce Resources in the Coastal Zone (SMART), GIS and
Spatial Data Base Building Procedures For “Abu-Qir” Bay, Egypt, annual report, August 2003,
http://www.ess.co.at/SMART/
[8] Hussein N.M.R.: Towards a Local Agenda for Sustainability, Master thesis, Cairo University , 2004.

RETBE 2008 Alexandria, EGYPT P. 10

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