Analyze factors of specialized land uses in urban areas : with special reference to the sanitary ware area in Nawala-Nugegoda

Abstract

The city of Colombo and its suburban areas have experienced a rapid change in development during the past four decades with increasing growth and expansion of important economics activities. The government decisions to shift industries and office complexes to the immediate suburban areas of Colombo as well as the locational advantages and strong push factors in some of the suburban areas of Colombo, contributed to significant growth changes in these areas which include, Paliyagoda, Kiribathgoda, Nugegoda, Maharagama, Kaduwela, Piliynadala, Dehiwal Mount Lavenia and Moratuwa. In addition to the above mentioned sub urban areas, some significant ribbon development pattern is experienced along the arterial thoroughfares connecting to Colombo city and the other provinces in Sri Lanka. This type of development is evident on Colombo Kandy Road, Colombo Negombo Road, Colombo Ratnapura Road and Colombo Galle Road. It is evident, that the central area of the city has easy accessibility from immediate surroundings as well as more distant places. Therefore, the central business area tends to attract more business establishments and customers and achieved a greater potential to intensify its growth. With regard to this phenomenon, the Central Business Zone commands a higher real estate value and is occupied by a more intensive land uses. However, due to the expansion of port related import & export business activities and the increased demand for services and logistic sector activities the shifting of administrative and industrial establishments from the CBD of Colombo was inevitable. The above mentioned development scenarios in the city of Colombo has contributed to grow and expand the suburban centers of Colombo attracting new business and some of these suburban centers developed as specialized business zones. The Nawala Nugegoda sanitary ware zone has been developed as one such specialized zone, and the underline factors of which are analyzed under this study. It was revealed that, the residential boom in Kotte, Kaduwela, Maharagama, Dehiwala and Nugegoda areas had crated and increasing demand for building materials and sanitary ware items since the past four decades. This situation was capitalized by three leading companies who engage in sanitary ware business in Nawala Nugegoda area. With the continues demand for sanitary ware items from the surrounding area of Colombo metropolitan region as well as easy accessibility to Nawala Nugegoda area contributed in proliferation of small scale sanitary ware suppliers in the Nawala area. This land use specialization, especially along the Nawala Nugegoda road and Nawala Narahenpita road has generated significant positive impacts on the lives of the people as well as some negative impacts such as traffic congestion, in appropriate conversion of residential buildings to non residential uses were emerged in this area. However, it is significant to record that the land use specialization has generated more economic benefits to the city and provide convenience business environment for the customers. In this context, specialized land uses as an urban growth modal would bring more positive benefits to the economy.