Development Control in Urban Centres of Ghana

Urban Centres in Developing Countries are expanding both in spatial extent and population. How to control this growth in a manner that is orderly, planned and coordinated has received scholarly interests due to the propensity for Urban localities in developing countries to grow haphazardly. Development Control or Land Use Planning, if properly executed, ensures that urban development occurs within laid down Development Plans and Regulations. This study investigates the practice of Development Control in Ghana. It reveals that Sekondi-Takoradi, like other Urban Centres in Ghana is expanding rapidly. Though, the Spatial Planning Department in the City has promulgated Land Use Plans to determine how this development occurs, limitations and constraints in the Planning System are making the process ineffective.