Challenges and conflicts in achieving the sustainable waterfront development in Izmit Bay; the case of Evyap Port

Abstract

Izmit Bay is in the Marmara Region which is the most developed & modern part of Turkey. lz mit Bay is the area near Istanbul City where the most of the private ports are agglomerated. Beginning in the late 1980s; central government, metropolitan municipality, district municipalities, industrial companies, port authorities and high court are the key actors to create a process for transforming waterfront in Iznnit Bay. Recent port developments illuminate the relationship between decision makers and the capital flows. Economic challenges for waterfront planning enhance the land use competition among port areas, industrial areas and housing areas. It raises the question of how to integrate the port with the city. The decision-making tradition emphasizes a highly intertwined waterfront planning process with international, national and local stakeholders. No developments in izmit Bay can be isolated from Istanbul's spatial development strategies. It has a strong relationship between new port investments in lz mit Bay with industrial decentralization process of Istanbul Metropolitan Area. In this paper, the most recent port developments of iz mit Bay are evaluated in the context of sustainable development strategies, metropolitan plans, and broader economic trends, legislative and institutional frameworks. This study based on a technical research report that is prepared for directorate of circulating capital of the university. The focus of the research case is Evyap Port enlargement. Evyap Port is directly adjacent to the urban neighbourhood of Iznn it. On the border between the industrial harbour area and the housing areas, logistics and other commercial land uses are situated. This area is proposed for further industrial development within the Development Plans, Regional and Metropolitan Plans, because a high demand for space for new logistics and distribution facilities are expected. During the relocation of ports and logistics, a strong opposition of residents can usually be observed. Creating port functions and land uses will re-image the city and have effects on the local labour market, transportation facilities, and cause challenges to communities in the new location. As a result, port projects in lz mit Bay support regional and urban economic development activities. Nevertheless, port is not just an economic function. More importantly, the port areas should be considered as a part of the urban planning agenda.