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<p>As open spaces continue to urbanize, sustainability in planning and development remains a critical area of academic debate. This study examines encroachment into the powerline right-of-way (PROW) as a consequence of urban sprawl while exploring the suitability of urban green infrastructure (UGI) as a mitigating measure against future encroachment. Landsat images from 2002, 2013, and 2025 were used to establish the rate of urban sprawl. The PROW was delineated by buffering the powerlines at a distance of 11-m and overlaying them with building footprints, enabling the identification of encroached buildings. Social survey analysis was conducted to determine the reasons for occupying these buildings. The findings revealed that built-up areas increased from 21.77% in 2002 to 64.69% in 2013 and further to 89.14% in 2025. Between 2002 and 2025, other land use categories declined significantly: vegetation decreased from 63.73% to 4.05%, bare soil from 11.96% to 6.39%, and water bodies from 2.54% to 0.42%. A total of 92 building footprints were found to encroach into the PROW. Additionally, 58.82% of respondents identified the availability of infrastructure and social amenities as the primary reason for occupying these buildings, which 56.58% were used for commercial purposes. This study demonstrates that urban sprawl has negatively affected urban green spaces in general, and PROW in particular. It contributes to existing literature by conceptualizing that properly managed PROW can be transformed from an urban dilemma into a viable resource, such as UGI, for sustainable urban planning and development.</p>

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Urban sprawl and green infrastructure: The assessment of the encroachment into powerline right-of-way in Nigeria

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月2日

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  • Vivian Akunna Olerum

摘要

As open spaces continue to urbanize, sustainability in planning and development remains a critical area of academic debate. This study examines encroachment into the powerline right-of-way (PROW) as a consequence of urban sprawl while exploring the suitability of urban green infrastructure (UGI) as a mitigating measure against future encroachment. Landsat images from 2002, 2013, and 2025 were used to establish the rate of urban sprawl. The PROW was delineated by buffering the powerlines at a distance of 11-m and overlaying them with building footprints, enabling the identification of encroached buildings. Social survey analysis was conducted to determine the reasons for occupying these buildings. The findings revealed that built-up areas increased from 21.77% in 2002 to 64.69% in 2013 and further to 89.14% in 2025. Between 2002 and 2025, other land use categories declined significantly: vegetation decreased from 63.73% to 4.05%, bare soil from 11.96% to 6.39%, and water bodies from 2.54% to 0.42%. A total of 92 building footprints were found to encroach into the PROW. Additionally, 58.82% of respondents identified the availability of infrastructure and social amenities as the primary reason for occupying these buildings, which 56.58% were used for commercial purposes. This study demonstrates that urban sprawl has negatively affected urban green spaces in general, and PROW in particular. It contributes to existing literature by conceptualizing that properly managed PROW can be transformed from an urban dilemma into a viable resource, such as UGI, for sustainable urban planning and development.