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Towards middle income housing in the Colombo urban area : a pre-feasibility study and project proposal | |
Author | D'Cruz, Yamuna Devi Ganesen |
Call Number | AIT Thesis no.HS-92-09 |
Subject(s) | Housing--Sri Lanka--Colombo |
Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science, School of Engineering and Technology |
Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
Series Statement | Thesis ; no. HS-92-09 |
Abstract | This study deals with issues related to the supply of land and housing for t he middle-income-groups within the Colombo Urban Area of Sri Lanka. The Colombo Urban Area, a subregion within the Colombo Metropolitan Region, is made up of the Colombo Municipal Area and t he suburban ring . The Colombo city be ing t he administrative capital of Sri Lanka, the Colombo Urban Area is important to the middle income group who are the predominant employees of the administrative sector. Congestion in the CBD of the Colombo city in the l at e seventies, which caused an outflow of r etail businesses from within the CBD to locations along the Galle Road, and the decision of t he government in 1980, to move the administrative center from the Fort area in the heart of the city to, Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, in the suburbs , caused an escalation in land prices in arsss dominated by middle income groups at ths time. The middle income groups ha.cl to move further into the suburbs, even to the periphery of the Colombo Metropolitan Region, in search of affordable land and housing. Land and housing needs of t he low i ncome groups are taken car e of by the state . The private sector caters to t he needs of t he high income groups while t he middl e income group is neglected by both the public and private sectors . The private sector finds t he returns from middle income housing insufficient. This study looks at t he possibility of involving the public and private sectors in a collaborative venture in an effort to provide affordabl e housing to t he middle income group within the Colombo Urban Area while making it possible for t he private sector to generate sufficient returns. The findings of the study is that affordabl e Middle income housing can be provided successfully through coll aboration of the government with private devel opers. It is however difficul t for the private developer to make a profit while keeping middle income housing affordable . It is suggested to introduce cross subsidy where high income housing and commerci al development are built along with middle income housing and high pr ofits made on the sale of these are used to offset the low profits made on the middle income housing . This concept s hould be encouraged and made full use of. It is also found that middl e income housing will not be affordable if the existing planning r egulations and building by- l aws are followed . Special guidelines are formulat ed for middle income housing development. |
Year | 1992 |
Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. HS-92-09 |
Type | Thesis |
School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
Academic Program/FoS | Human Settlement (HS) |
Chairperson(s) | Lefebvre, B.; |
Examination Committee(s) | Archer, R. W. ;Weber, Karl E.; |
Scholarship Donor(s) | Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA); |
Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology |