NEW TOWNS DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, SUCCESS · PDF fileNEW TOWNS DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, SUCCESS OR FAILURE: ... developed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, ... the urban poor live in

Dec. 2013. Vol. 3, No.4 ISSN 2307-227X

International Journal of Research In Social Sciences © 2013 IJRSS & K.A.J. All rights reserved www.ijsk.org/ijrss

67

NEW TOWNS DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, SUCCESS OR FAILURE:

A CASESTUDY OF FESTAC TOWN, LAGOS

ADEDOKUN Ade

DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE, JOSEPH AYO-BABALOLA UNIVERSITY,IKEJI ARAKEJI, OSUN-STATE

ABSTRACT

Building of new Cities” has been adopted as a strategy to escape from urban problems and as panacea to

metropolitan overspill effects, and urban conurbation. The major form of urban land use is housing construction,

and also the pattern of urban land use largely determines the pattern of urban growth and development.(Agbola,

2002). However, Planned new towns and communities are also considered as a strategy of urban deconcentration

and decentralization, industrial and employment dispersal, and internal migration policy. New towns arc

‘considered as a strategy for establishing intermediate cities and simultaneously inducing growth. Partly based on

these principles, Festac Town in Nigeria was planned as urban environment and planned as a model township

within Lagos metropolitan area. When the Federal Government decided to initiate a large housing scheme within

the metropolis in order to provide shelter for a larger population.

The main goal was to reduce the acute housing shortage and to provide accommodation for the delegates

and visitors of the Second World Festival of Black Arts during Festac 77. The housing was to be a model residential

community, ensuring high quality of life and environment for its residents.

Keywords: New town development, architecture, urban growth, housing construction.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0

Housing represents a critical component in the social

and economic structures and constitutes one of the

basic human needs of all nations (Kabir and Bustani,

2008). Akinluyi el.al (2013) stated that, housing in all

ramifications is of more important than mere shelter

since it embraces all the social services and utilities

that go to make a community livable environment.

All governments in Nigeria since independence

highlighted housing as a major priority. (Akinluyi &

Adeleye, 2013).The problem of affordable housing

has been recognized as ‘infrastructure needs’. These

needs have been elaborated in the following way:

‘The changing face of population has immediate

implications for every aspect of education, transport

and infrastructure. (Housing Essay, 2003; London

housing Authority, 2006: Akinluyi and Adeleye,

2013 ). These facts call for this kind of study. It

should be noted that, monitoring urban development

is mainly to find the type, amount and the location of

land conversion for future planning (Shekhar, 2001).

Urban planners need to understand the role played by

the urban structure on the journey to work, in order to

mitigate the negative aspects of mobility (Giuliano

and Small, 1993).

In may 1 974 the Federal Housing Authority of the

Federal Government of Nigeria engaged Doxiadis

Associates to provide consulting services and to carry

out certain studies for a new area in greater Lagos

which is intended to he developed as a residential

area within t’ frame of the National housing

programme.

The ultimate target of the project is to create

a model residential community, to house as much as

possible, the population of Lagos State providing all

facilities and amenities in keeping with the concepts

and standards of modern life, and ensuring for its

residents, a high quality of life and environment.

Presently, Festac Town is being fully

harnessed as a residential community. But the

question arises as what extent the objectives of the

original concept has been achieved. The present

study examines this question and evaluates the

scheme, based on the original master plan.

2.0 STUDY AREA

The study area is situated to the southwest of

Lagos along the Badagry expressway in Amuwo

Odofin Local Government Area of the State (Fig. 1)

along which it runs parallel for a distance of about

4.7km. Festac Town covers an area of approximately

1,770 hectares. The northern part of the area is

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generally fiat and mostly marshy with ground

elevations ranging between 10.0 and 30.m. The

relative flatness of the ground retards the flow of

surface runoffs and prevents rapid discharge of water

into larger water bodies (e.g. the lagoons). Land

filling and land reclamation have been used to fill

part of the area prior to the development of the study

area.

The annual rainfall is general more than 1

800mm, more than 75 Per cent of which falls in the

rainy season which occurs for about 8 to 1 2 months.

There are two rainfall maxima, the first in June and

the second in September. The location is under the

humid maritime air throughout the year.

Consequently, the humidity is high, about 0% to

80%.

Festac Town is unique in its population

composition in terms of its heterogeneity, comprising

a mosaic of Nigerian tribes that are mostly civil

servants. No single tribe, can lay claim to be the

original inhabitants, as is the case in some other areas

of the metropolitan Lagos. The land was acquired and

developed by the Federal Government of Nigeria,

which became responsible for the allocation of the

houses through their agency, the Federal Housing

Authority (FHA). Educational standards attained in

the area are high reflection of the quality of people

living in the area, they are mainly of medium and

high come groups of the society.

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3.0 METHODOLOGY

Data collection for this paper involved

questionnaires, interviews, site -surveys and

consultation with library works. Analysis of data was

done using appropriate statistical techniques.

The primary data collection was done by

administration of questionnaires to 300 residents and

was focused on three primary age groups, namely,

the youth (less than 18 years), the middle aged (18-60

years) and the old (more than 60 years). The older

groups were used because they have continuously

lived in the area for at least, some too decades, hence

their ability to assess the present and the past. The

middle aged group and youths were to have their

Impression on area with regards to social services,

commercial needs and bringing up children in the

environment relative to other areas in Lagos

metropolis. The views of the youths, being the most

active and radical in the community were sought on

recreation, education and other social cultural

activities in the town of Festac. Site surveys and

consultations with other library works were also used

in the study especially to obtain information on the

past and present environmental conditions on the

area. Various newspaper reports and articles on the

area were also used. Equally important sources of

information were 100 students of Department of

Architecture and Planning at University of Lagos,

especially those living around the study area.

4.0 ORIGINALLY PLANNED

CHARACTERISTICS

In most instances, the urban poor live in over-

crowded housing, often in self made temporary

structures in slums and squatter settlements where

they exert unprecedented pressure on deteriorating

urban infrastructure and social services (Diogu,

2002). It is however, important to provide for the

overall planned environment.

The master plan for the entire development

of Festival Town (FESTAC) covers an area of about

1,770 hectares, and includes seven residential

communities of 15,000-20,000 people each. The

ultimate development was expected to accommodate

a total of 24,000 dwelling units with a population of

about 1 40,000 people, However, more people than

originally planned for are already residing in the area,

despite the fact that the project is not yet completed.

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This has put up with a lot of strains on the public

utilities.

The residential types characteristic of many income

levels have been integrated (Table 2) in the area.

Although only 280 bee tares were left as green areas

out of a total area of 1,770 hectares, these green areas

have been encroached upon by both private and

public developers (Table 3). The original planned

land use analysis of Festac Town is contained in

Table 1.

Table 1: Land Use Analysis of Festac Town.

Use

Residential

Central function

Industrial

Recreation and parks

Lowland left as green area*

Primary road network**

Total

Area (HA)

1,180

77

80

84

280

69

1,770

% of the Total Area

66.6

4.3

4.6

4.8

15.8

3.9

100.0

*Green strips isolating different uses.

** Secondary road network is included with various use zones.

Source: Doxiadis Associates International; Final Master Plan of Black Arts Festival Town.

Festac Town is to he served by a Central

District though there are business centres of lower

order within respective residential communities. Ease

of internal movement within the residential

communities is enhanced by pedestrian walkways

which ensure separation of pedestrian and vehicular

traffic. Residers are grouped around central facilities

so that the facilities close to the residents can he

reached conveniently by them. The town is provided

with major transportation arteries forming a grid to

facilitate better distribution of traffic and connection

with Lagos metropolitan area. Lower order roads

have local traffic while in very small residential

neighhourhoods no thorough traffic is allowed as all

streets end up in cul-de-sac design.

The present total number of housing units is

10,935 units, which is developed over an area of 460

hectares. There are ten (10) types of housing units

that could be allocated into the various ranges of low,

medium and high income categories. These units

include

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block of flats, bungalows, semi—dctached and

detached buildings. In working out a master plan for

Festac Tom certain typical guiding planning

principles in organisation of residential communitic

were employed. These include the grouping of

residential communities around public service

facilities like post offices. N.L.P.A. supplies water

storage tower. Etc. Neighborhood is defined by local

road network system and cul-desacs. Generous

spaces were along For each residential unit and

typifies a change From the very limited spaces which

is common for residential areas in Lagos metropolis

from all indications the master plan of Festac town

clearly upholds the desire to provide For a better

living conditions. Adequate car parking spaces were

provided for the residences with could be classified

within the context of this paper as open spaces; these

are all well worked out to achieve a complete

separation of pedestrian and Vehicular traffic.

Lofty spaces were also provided for parks

and play ground. At the initial planning stage, some

land along the central axis of the town was allocated

for recreational facilities. Household income which

directly affects the demand for each type is used to

determine the percentage distribution for each

housing type. The table below shows the distribution

of developing types by income group.

Table 2: The Distribution of Planned Residential Types by Income Group

Household by

Income

Row Houses

(R1—1)

Send- Detached

(Rl-2)

Detached

(Rl-3)

Block of Hats

R2-1 R2-2 Total

Low

Middle

High

35(19%)

19(6%)

-

-

50(20%)

-

-

-

40 (2%)

65(36%)

25(10%)

-

-

10 (4%)

60 (8%)

100 (55%)

100 (40%)

100 (5%)

Within the l:st few years such development

for commercial use came into being even at the

deteriment of the provision of necessary recreational

facilities which arc required for a residential al-ca to

function properly.

The changes in landuse are been evident in

the sale of the open spaces, recreational parks and -

playgrounds to building plots, commercial zones,

mechanical workshops with hazardous effects. Also

significant are the sales of FHA office land spaces as

residential building plots, which results in less office

spaces for the workers. An example of such sales is

the land for Direct Labour Unit located along 21St

Road, where a residential building has been

constructed.

Acute shortage of shopping facilities and

service industries has resulted in the unplanned

development of these facilities. Petty trading stalls,

conversion of balconies in low income areas and

medium housing areas are common sights. Cars

meant for garages now litter the front of buildings

and roads.

There is an acute water shortage due to overcrowding

despite the linking of the town with Iju and Adiyan

water works. The result has been a breakdown in the

function of the central sewage system. The system is

in a state of dilapidation; odour persists due to

blockages, and cracks in the pipes. The effect of this

blockage is felt adversely for example; on C close

512 road as observed during our survey. Here

blocked pipes under pressure, the place stinks and is

a major cause of environmental pollution. The central

sewage plant built for the town was the most modern

in the country. It relies on gravity flow for

transportation 10 strategic pumping stations where

the sewage is pumped to the central treatment plants.

The system faces dilapidation.

Tahle3: Area Extent 01 Land Use Features in Festac

Features

Agricultural land

Open spaces

Other built up area

Non-vegetated wetland

Low income residential

Middle income residential

Area Covered (ha)

5.966

19.46

23.28

140.1

54.13

25.16

Area (%)

1.0

1.3

3.9

23.6

9.1

4.2

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High income residential

Untarred road

Forested wetland

Grassland and shrubs

Trees

Grasses

Total

188

0.31 5

86.1

48.64

0.038

1.319

592.5

31.7

0.1

14.5

8.2

0.01

0.2

100

Source: GIS analysis of interpreted remote sensing data (1 999)

Table 3 shows that that the largest area in Festac

Town is covered by the high income residential

buildings (1 8Okm2or 31 .7% of the total area). The

wetlands cover a total area of about 2.748km2 or

46.4°¼ of’ the land spaces. This is made up of the

non-vegetated wetland, the forest and grasslands,

which contribute 1.402km2, 0.861 km2 and

0.4864kn2 respectively to the total wetland area. The

low income and middle income residential area

covers about 0.05413km2 (9.1) and 0.2576km2

(4.2%) respectively. Open spaces and market farming

(agricultural land) covers 19.46 ha. (3.3%) and 5.96

ha or 1% respectively.

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5.0

CHANGES IN LAND USE CHARACTERISTICS

The changes in land use observed include

(a) changes from recreational parks to building plots;

(h) recreational parks to commercial zones. A change

was observed from land used as recreational parks to

building plots. Notable amongst these changes is that

along 23rd road, where the parcel of land allotted for

recreation is now dominated by new building

structures, mainly residential buildings. There are

also changes from recreational parks to commercial

zones, for example, around 24th road, while

considerable parts of the playgrounds have become

building plots.

Notably again all over the estates,

playground have been converted and changed to

commercial use. An example of such changes is the

playground of 3 Avenue where a furniture industry,

shops and residential developments now occupy.

Also significant sprawling office complex, which

occupies the playground of 21 road, I close. This

sprawling office block is bordered by a mechanic

workshop, and, opposite across the close, the

remaining playground clotted by shops and

restaurants.

Festac Town has a number of banks among

which are African Continental Bank (ACB), and the

Cooperate Bank. There is adequate provision for

neighbourhood shops, local and district centre. A

major shortcoming is the non—provision of an open

market, and in response to this, the second gate

entrance closed for security reasons has been

converted into part of the sprawling Agboju Market,

thereby causing untold traffic congestion along the

Badagry expressway.

The survey revealed that the town used to

enjoy a monopoly of transport service through the

use of Lagos State Transport Corporation (LSTC)

buses. The economic downturn of the country has

resulted in residents relying heavily on private

operations, which are unable to adequately cater for

residents. There is also a general shortage of

educational facilities. The shortage is mostly felt in

the primary school section, where out of the 23

proposed schools in the master plan, only five have

been developed. Also, at the planning stage of the

town, there were proposals for medical centres

established at ratio I for ever) 20,000 inhabitants.

Health centres were planned for 1 for ever) 150,000

inhabitants, and hospitals at 3-5 beds per 1.000

inhabitants. Today most of the health facilities in the

town are privately owned by corporate bodies and

individuals, and are not enough to cater for the

residents. Moreover, the health facilities are very

expensive.

The consequences of land use changes in

Festac Town are many. For examples, the changes

have affected infrastructures as there is a lot of

congestion and the drainage systems have become

inadequate to serve the new intake of population.

There are also inadequate power supplies due to

overload and a lot of which consume high voltage.

There is road deterioration partly due to heavy

machinery traffic involved in the new construction

activities and the use by trailers and tankers.

There is also absence of necessary

pedestrian infrastructures such as side walk-ways,

covered bus stops and tree-lined pedestrian systems.

The lack of recreational facilities and the conversion

of the recreational land use results in inadequate

social programmes to engage the youths, especially

secondary school leavers, a lot of who find

themselves in various crimes. The solutions to all

these problems have become challenges to planners,

government and the people.

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Source: Author Field work, 2013

furniture industry, shops and residential

developments now occupy. Also significant

sprawling office complex, which occupies the

playground along 21 road, I close. This sprawling

office block is bordered by a mechanic workshop,

and, opposite across the close, the remaining

playground dotted by shops and restaurants.

Festac Town has a number of banks among

which are African Continental Bank (ACB), and the

Cooperative Bank. There is adequate provision for

neighbourhood shops, local and district centre. A

major shortcoming is the non-provision of an open

market, and in response to this, the second gate

entrance closed for security reasons has been

converted into part of the sprawling Agboju Market,

thereby causing untold traffic congestion along the

Badagry expressway.

The survey revealed that the town used to

enjoy a monopoly of transport service through the

use Lagos State Transport Corporation (LSTC) buses.

The economic downturn of the country has resulted

in residents relying heavily on private operations,

which are unable to adequately cater for residents.

There is also a general shortage of educational

facilities. The shortage is mostly felt in the primary

school section, where out of the 23 proposed schools

in the master plan, only five have been developed.

Also, at the planning stage of the town, there were

proposals for medical centres established at ratio 1

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for every 20,000 inhabitants. Health centres were

planned for 1 for every 150,000 inhabitants, and

hospitals at 3-5 beds per 1000 inhabitants. Today

most of the health facilities in the town are privately

owned by corporate bodies and individuals, and are

not enough to cater for the residents. Moreover, the

health facilities are very expensive.

The consequences of land use changes in

Festac Town are many. For examples, the changes

have affected infrastructures as there is a lot of

congestion and the drainage systems have become

inadequate to serve the new intake of population.

There are also inadequate power supplies due to

overload and a lot of which consume high voltage

deteriorating of tile roads partly due to heavy

machinery traffic and tile use of the roads by trailers

and tankers.

There is also absence of necessary pedestrian

infrastructures such as side walkways, as well as

good systems. Tile lack of recreational facilities and

tile conversion of tile recreational land use. The

trends towards sub urbanisation and urban sprawl

(lowdensity, spatially dispersed, and segregated land

use) emerging in urban spaces have a direct and

indirect repercussion on mobility (European

Environmental Agency, 2006). Major changes in

mobility threaten the environmental and economic

sustainability of urban spaces (Banister, 2008).

No doubt the housing delivery of the Federal

Hosing Authority is currently facing a lot of

shortcomings. A housing delivery system is a

collection of production mechanisms, regulator and

administrative devices by which houses are provided

to the consumer. Being the first of its kind, the aims

of the Festac programme at accommodating the

overspill population of metropolitan Lagos was

adopted in the quest for a socially balanced and

self—contained community. The town now lacks

adequate community centres, which could serve as

centres of interaction for the residents thus, the goal

of a socially balanced community has not been

achieved. Crowding in the area riot only affects the

environment and the house; it also affects the

behaviours of the inhabitants. Overcrowding is

experienced in most of the housing units. Average

family size is 8 per household from the survey

compared to 6’ per household as planned. Majority of

the residents complained of lack of space in living

rooms, toilets, bathrooms, and kitchens and complete

absence of laundry facilities. Less complaint were

received in the hing—income ones of the housing

units as space allocation is better and social facilities

are better provided. Lack of space has also resulted in

the unkept appearance of the blocks of flats, where

balconies have been converted into stores (see

pictures). The facilities in many of e houses and the

town as a whole have been overstretched. The closes

are rowdy and 1ed with children in the evenings and

some blocks of flats have earned the appellation—

barracks”, implying congested areas.

The volume of vehicular traffic in Festac

Town especially at peak periods is another indicator

of overcrowding. It is estimated that about 3,800

households have cars, and about 600 of them have

more than one car in the family. Even occupants of

boysquarters in the town own motor vehicles which

they park in closes and other open spaces. Roads in

the Festival Town are not designed for as much

traffic as they now carry. The of rapid rowing

population, is not accompanied by equally expanding

facilities.

No doubt, Festac Town is fast losing its

original architectural beauty, the recreational

grounds, open spaces provided in the master plan, are

gradually taken over by illegal structures. Barely 22

years after its existence, the model” city has lost its

original image.

The enhancement of the aesthetic value or

the environment by landscaping is almost non-

existent. Though the Federal Housing Authority and

few owner-occupiers have attempted landscaping

their environments, their impacts are little felt.

The above discussions Illustrate the failures

of the development concept of Festac Town.

However, there are successes amidst these failures.

Festival Town has succeeded in providing a cushion

effect to the housing shortage in metropolitan Lagos.

This is evident in the num her of family units and

residents currently available in the place. Festac

Town has provided accommodation for people in

different income groups, social background, religion

and tribe, and the programme has become step

towards community integration in a country like

Nigeria with very many tribes and ethnic groups.

Festac Town acts as a growth pole (center)

because it has generated growth to that axis and its

immediate vicinity. Moreover, it is a catalyst for

economic activities that take place in the new town. It

has also increased the rate of development because of

the emergency of intensified urban development

around that area. Festac Town has positively affected

the property value along Lagos-T3adagry

Expressway. Property development and value in the

area have improved over the years, with well—laid

residential estates, business districts, the Lagos

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International Trade Fair Complex and many other

developments.

Town still serves as relic or reminiscence of the

second world Festival of Black Arts and Culture. It is

like a souvenir, which reminds the nation about

activities which took place during the Black Arts and

Culture 1977 Festac Town has also to some extent,

met the aims of its existence, namely, to reduce the

acute housing pressures of the area and to provide as

an immediate goal, accommodation facilities for the

delegates and visitors of the second world Festival of

Black Arts and Culture. All these have been achieved

amidst the failures already discussed above.

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NEW TOWNS DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, SUCCESS · PDF fileNEW TOWNS DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, SUCCESS OR FAILURE: ... developed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, ... the urban poor live in

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