NEW TOWNS DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, SUCCESS OR FAILURE

Dec. 2013. Vol. 3, No.4
ISSN 2307-227X
International Journal of Research In Social Sciences
© 2013 IJRSS & K.A.J. All rights reserved
www.ijsk.org/ijrss
NEW TOWNS DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, SUCCESS OR FAILURE:
A CASESTUDY OF FESTAC TOWN, LAGOS
ADEDOKUN Ade
DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE, JOSEPH AYO-BABALOLA UNIVERSITY,IKEJI ARAKEJI, OSUN-STATE
ABSTRACT
Building of new Cities” has been adopted as a strategy to escape from urban problems and as panacea to
metropolitan overspill effects, and urban conurbation. The major form of urban land use is housing construction,
and also the pattern of urban land use largely determines the pattern of urban growth and development.(Agbola,
2002). However, Planned new towns and communities are also considered as a strategy of urban deconcentration
and decentralization, industrial and employment dispersal, and internal migration policy. New towns arc
‘considered as a strategy for establishing intermediate cities and simultaneously inducing growth. Partly based on
these principles, Festac Town in Nigeria was planned as urban environment and planned as a model township
within Lagos metropolitan area. When the Federal Government decided to initiate a large housing scheme within
the metropolis in order to provide shelter for a larger population.
The main goal was to reduce the acute housing shortage and to provide accommodation for the delegates
and visitors of the Second World Festival of Black Arts during Festac 77. The housing was to be a model residential
community, ensuring high quality of life and environment for its residents.
Keywords: New town development, architecture, urban growth, housing construction.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0
In may 1 974 the Federal Housing Authority of the
Federal Government of Nigeria engaged Doxiadis
Associates to provide consulting services and to carry
out certain studies for a new area in greater Lagos
which is intended to he developed as a residential
area within t’ frame of the National housing
programme.
The ultimate target of the project is to create
a model residential community, to house as much as
possible, the population of Lagos State providing all
facilities and amenities in keeping with the concepts
and standards of modern life, and ensuring for its
residents, a high quality of life and environment.
Presently, Festac Town is being fully
harnessed as a residential community. But the
question arises as what extent the objectives of the
original concept has been achieved. The present
study examines this question and evaluates the
scheme, based on the original master plan.
2.0 STUDY AREA
The study area is situated to the southwest of
Lagos along the Badagry expressway in Amuwo
Odofin Local Government Area of the State (Fig. 1)
along which it runs parallel for a distance of about
4.7km. Festac Town covers an area of approximately
1,770 hectares. The northern part of the area is
Housing represents a critical component in the social
and economic structures and constitutes one of the
basic human needs of all nations (Kabir and Bustani,
2008). Akinluyi el.al (2013) stated that, housing in all
ramifications is of more important than mere shelter
since it embraces all the social services and utilities
that go to make a community livable environment.
All governments in Nigeria since independence
highlighted housing as a major priority. (Akinluyi &
Adeleye, 2013).The problem of affordable housing
has been recognized as ‘infrastructure needs’. These
needs have been elaborated in the following way:
‘The changing face of population has immediate
implications for every aspect of education, transport
and infrastructure. (Housing Essay, 2003; London
housing Authority, 2006: Akinluyi and Adeleye,
2013 ). These facts call for this kind of study. It
should be noted that, monitoring urban development
is mainly to find the type, amount and the location of
land conversion for future planning (Shekhar, 2001).
Urban planners need to understand the role played by
the urban structure on the journey to work, in order to
mitigate the negative aspects of mobility (Giuliano
and Small, 1993).
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generally fiat and mostly marshy with ground
elevations ranging between 10.0 and 30.m. The
relative flatness of the ground retards the flow of
surface runoffs and prevents rapid discharge of water
into larger water bodies (e.g. the lagoons). Land
filling and land reclamation have been used to fill
part of the area prior to the development of the study
area.
The annual rainfall is general more than 1
800mm, more than 75 Per cent of which falls in the
rainy season which occurs for about 8 to 1 2 months.
There are two rainfall maxima, the first in June and
the second in September. The location is under the
humid maritime air throughout the year.
Consequently, the humidity is high, about 0% to
80%.
Festac Town is unique in its population
composition in terms of its heterogeneity, comprising
a mosaic of Nigerian tribes that are mostly civil
servants. No single tribe, can lay claim to be the
original inhabitants, as is the case in some other areas
of the metropolitan Lagos. The land was acquired and
developed by the Federal Government of Nigeria,
which became responsible for the allocation of the
houses through their agency, the Federal Housing
Authority (FHA). Educational standards attained in
the area are high reflection of the quality of people
living in the area, they are mainly of medium and
high come groups of the society.
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Dec. 2013. Vol. 3, No.4
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in the study especially to obtain information on the
past and present environmental conditions on the
area. Various newspaper reports and articles on the
area were also used. Equally important sources of
information were 100 students of Department of
Architecture and Planning at University of Lagos,
especially those living around the study area.
4.0
ORIGINALLY
PLANNED
CHARACTERISTICS
In most instances, the urban poor live in overcrowded housing, often in self made temporary
structures in slums and squatter settlements where
they exert unprecedented pressure on deteriorating
urban infrastructure and social services (Diogu,
2002). It is however, important to provide for the
overall planned environment.
The master plan for the entire development
of Festival Town (FESTAC) covers an area of about
1,770 hectares, and includes seven residential
communities of 15,000-20,000 people each. The
ultimate development was expected to accommodate
a total of 24,000 dwelling units with a population of
about 1 40,000 people, However, more people than
originally planned for are already residing in the area,
despite the fact that the project is not yet completed.
3.0 METHODOLOGY
Data collection for this paper involved
questionnaires, interviews, site -surveys and
consultation with library works. Analysis of data was
done using appropriate statistical techniques.
The primary data collection was done by
administration of questionnaires to 300 residents and
was focused on three primary age groups, namely,
the youth (less than 18 years), the middle aged (18-60
years) and the old (more than 60 years). The older
groups were used because they have continuously
lived in the area for at least, some too decades, hence
their ability to assess the present and the past. The
middle aged group and youths were to have their
Impression on area with regards to social services,
commercial needs and bringing up children in the
environment relative to other areas in Lagos
metropolis. The views of the youths, being the most
active and radical in the community were sought on
recreation, education and other social cultural
activities in the town of Festac. Site surveys and
consultations with other library works were also used
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Dec. 2013. Vol. 3, No.4
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© 2013 IJRSS & K.A.J. All rights reserved
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This has put up with a lot of strains on the public
out of a total area of 1,770 hectares, these green areas
utilities.
have been encroached upon by both private and
The residential types characteristic of many income
public developers (Table 3). The original planned
levels have been integrated (Table 2) in the area.
land use analysis of Festac Town is contained in
Although only 280 bee tares were left as green areas
Table 1.
Table 1: Land Use Analysis of Festac Town.
Use
Area (HA)
% of the Total Area
Residential
1,180
66.6
Central function
77
4.3
Industrial
80
4.6
Recreation and parks
84
4.8
Lowland left as green area*
280
15.8
Primary road network**
69
3.9
Total
1,770
100.0
*Green strips isolating different uses.
** Secondary road network is included with various use zones.
Source: Doxiadis Associates International; Final Master Plan of Black Arts Festival Town.
Festac Town is to he served by a Central
District though there are business centres of lower
order within respective residential communities. Ease
of internal movement within the residential
communities is enhanced by pedestrian walkways
which ensure separation of pedestrian and vehicular
traffic. Residers are grouped around central facilities
so that the facilities close to the residents can he
reached conveniently by them. The town is provided
with major transportation arteries forming a grid to
facilitate better distribution of traffic and connection
with Lagos metropolitan area. Lower order roads
have local traffic while in very small residential
neighhourhoods no thorough traffic is allowed as all
streets end up in cul-de-sac design.
The present total number of housing units is
10,935 units, which is developed over an area of 460
hectares. There are ten (10) types of housing units
that could be allocated into the various ranges of low,
medium and high income categories. These units
include
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Dec. 2013. Vol. 3, No.4
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block of flats, bungalows, semi—dctached and
detached buildings. In working out a master plan for
Festac Tom certain typical guiding planning
principles in organisation of residential communitic
were employed. These include the grouping of
residential communities around public service
facilities like post offices. N.L.P.A. supplies water
storage tower. Etc. Neighborhood is defined by local
road network system and cul-desacs. Generous
spaces were along For each residential unit and
typifies a change From the very limited spaces which
is common for residential areas in Lagos metropolis
from all indications the master plan of Festac town
clearly upholds the desire to provide For a better
living conditions. Adequate car parking spaces were
provided for the residences with could be classified
within the context of this paper as open spaces; these
are all well worked out to achieve a complete
separation of pedestrian and Vehicular traffic.
Lofty spaces were also provided for parks
and play ground. At the initial planning stage, some
land along the central axis of the town was allocated
for recreational facilities. Household income which
directly affects the demand for each type is used to
determine the percentage distribution for each
housing type. The table below shows the distribution
of developing types by income group.
Table 2: The Distribution of Planned Residential Types by Income Group
Household by
Row Houses
Send- Detached
Detached
Block of Hats
Income
(R1—1)
(Rl-2)
(Rl-3)
R2-1
R2-2
Low
35(19%)
65(36%)
Middle
19(6%)
50(20%)
25(10%)
10 (4%)
High
40 (2%)
60 (8%)
Within the l:st few years such development
for commercial use came into being even at the
deteriment of the provision of necessary recreational
facilities which arc required for a residential al-ca to
function properly.
The changes in landuse are been evident in
the sale of the open spaces, recreational parks and playgrounds to building plots, commercial zones,
mechanical workshops with hazardous effects. Also
significant are the sales of FHA office land spaces as
residential building plots, which results in less office
spaces for the workers. An example of such sales is
the land for Direct Labour Unit located along 21St
Road, where a residential building has been
constructed.
Acute shortage of shopping facilities and
service industries has resulted in the unplanned
development of these facilities. Petty trading stalls,
conversion of balconies in low income areas and
Total
100 (55%)
100 (40%)
100 (5%)
medium housing areas are common sights. Cars
meant for garages now litter the front of buildings
and roads.
There is an acute water shortage due to overcrowding
despite the linking of the town with Iju and Adiyan
water works. The result has been a breakdown in the
function of the central sewage system. The system is
in a state of dilapidation; odour persists due to
blockages, and cracks in the pipes. The effect of this
blockage is felt adversely for example; on C close
512 road as observed during our survey. Here
blocked pipes under pressure, the place stinks and is
a major cause of environmental pollution. The central
sewage plant built for the town was the most modern
in the country. It relies on gravity flow for
transportation 10 strategic pumping stations where
the sewage is pumped to the central treatment plants.
The system faces dilapidation.
Tahle3: Area Extent 01 Land Use Features in Festac
Features
Agricultural land
Open spaces
Other built up area
Non-vegetated wetland
Low income residential
Middle income residential
Area Covered (ha)
5.966
19.46
23.28
140.1
54.13
25.16
71
Area (%)
1.0
1.3
3.9
23.6
9.1
4.2
Dec. 2013. Vol. 3, No.4
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High income residential
188
Untarred road
0.31 5
Forested wetland
86.1
Grassland and shrubs
48.64
Trees
0.038
Grasses
1.319
Total
592.5
Source: GIS analysis of interpreted remote sensing data (1 999)
Table 3 shows that that the largest area in Festac
Town is covered by the high income residential
buildings (1 8Okm2or 31 .7% of the total area). The
wetlands cover a total area of about 2.748km2 or
46.4°¼ of’ the land spaces. This is made up of the
non-vegetated wetland, the forest and grasslands,
which contribute 1.402km2, 0.861 km2 and
31.7
0.1
14.5
8.2
0.01
0.2
100
0.4864kn2 respectively to the total wetland area. The
low income and middle income residential area
covers about 0.05413km2 (9.1) and 0.2576km2
(4.2%) respectively. Open spaces and market farming
(agricultural land) covers 19.46 ha. (3.3%) and 5.96
ha or 1% respectively.
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5.0
CHANGES IN LAND USE CHARACTERISTICS
The changes in land use observed include
(a) changes from recreational parks to building plots;
(h) recreational parks to commercial zones. A change
was observed from land used as recreational parks to
building plots. Notable amongst these changes is that
along 23rd road, where the parcel of land allotted for
recreation is now dominated by new building
structures, mainly residential buildings. There are
also changes from recreational parks to commercial
zones, for example, around 24th road, while
considerable parts of the playgrounds have become
building plots.
Notably again all over the estates,
playground have been converted and changed to
commercial use. An example of such changes is the
playground of 3 Avenue where a furniture industry,
shops and residential developments now occupy.
Also significant sprawling office complex, which
occupies the playground of 21 road, I close. This
sprawling office block is bordered by a mechanic
workshop, and, opposite across the close, the
remaining playground clotted by shops and
restaurants.
Festac Town has a number of banks among
which are African Continental Bank (ACB), and the
Cooperate Bank. There is adequate provision for
neighbourhood shops, local and district centre. A
major shortcoming is the non—provision of an open
market, and in response to this, the second gate
entrance closed for security reasons has been
converted into part of the sprawling Agboju Market,
thereby causing untold traffic congestion along the
Badagry expressway.
The survey revealed that the town used to
enjoy a monopoly of transport service through the
use of Lagos State Transport Corporation (LSTC)
buses. The economic downturn of the country has
resulted in residents relying heavily on private
operations, which are unable to adequately cater for
residents. There is also a general shortage of
educational facilities. The shortage is mostly felt in
the primary school section, where out of the 23
proposed schools in the master plan, only five have
been developed. Also, at the planning stage of the
town, there were proposals for medical centres
established at ratio I for ever) 20,000 inhabitants.
Health centres were planned for 1 for ever) 150,000
inhabitants, and hospitals at 3-5 beds per 1.000
inhabitants. Today most of the health facilities in the
town are privately owned by corporate bodies and
individuals, and are not enough to cater for the
residents. Moreover, the health facilities are very
expensive.
The consequences of land use changes in
Festac Town are many. For examples, the changes
have affected infrastructures as there is a lot of
congestion and the drainage systems have become
inadequate to serve the new intake of population.
There are also inadequate power supplies due to
overload and a lot of which consume high voltage.
There is road deterioration partly due to heavy
machinery traffic involved in the new construction
activities and the use by trailers and tankers.
There is also absence of necessary
pedestrian infrastructures such as side walk-ways,
covered bus stops and tree-lined pedestrian systems.
The lack of recreational facilities and the conversion
of the recreational land use results in inadequate
social programmes to engage the youths, especially
secondary school leavers, a lot of who find
themselves in various crimes. The solutions to all
these problems have become challenges to planners,
government and the people.
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Source: Author Field work, 2013
furniture industry, shops and residential
developments now occupy. Also significant
sprawling office complex, which occupies the
playground along 21 road, I close. This sprawling
office block is bordered by a mechanic workshop,
and, opposite across the close, the remaining
playground dotted by shops and restaurants.
converted into part of the sprawling Agboju Market,
thereby causing untold traffic congestion along the
Badagry expressway.
The survey revealed that the town used to
enjoy a monopoly of transport service through the
use Lagos State Transport Corporation (LSTC) buses.
The economic downturn of the country has resulted
in residents relying heavily on private operations,
which are unable to adequately cater for residents.
There is also a general shortage of educational
facilities. The shortage is mostly felt in the primary
school section, where out of the 23 proposed schools
in the master plan, only five have been developed.
Also, at the planning stage of the town, there were
proposals for medical centres established at ratio 1
Festac Town has a number of banks among
which are African Continental Bank (ACB), and the
Cooperative Bank. There is adequate provision for
neighbourhood shops, local and district centre. A
major shortcoming is the non-provision of an open
market, and in response to this, the second gate
entrance closed for security reasons has been
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Dec. 2013. Vol. 3, No.4
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for every 20,000 inhabitants. Health centres were
planned for 1 for every 150,000 inhabitants, and
hospitals at 3-5 beds per 1000 inhabitants. Today
most of the health facilities in the town are privately
owned by corporate bodies and individuals, and are
not enough to cater for the residents. Moreover, the
health facilities are very expensive.
The consequences of land use changes in
Festac Town are many. For examples, the changes
have affected infrastructures as there is a lot of
congestion and the drainage systems have become
inadequate to serve the new intake of population.
There are also inadequate power supplies due to
overload and a lot of which consume high voltage
deteriorating of tile roads partly due to heavy
machinery traffic and tile use of the roads by trailers
and tankers.
There is also absence of necessary pedestrian
infrastructures such as side walkways, as well as
good systems. Tile lack of recreational facilities and
tile conversion of tile recreational land use. The
trends towards sub urbanisation and urban sprawl
(lowdensity, spatially dispersed, and segregated land
use) emerging in urban spaces have a direct and
indirect repercussion on mobility (European
Environmental Agency, 2006). Major changes in
mobility threaten the environmental and economic
sustainability of urban spaces (Banister, 2008).
No doubt the housing delivery of the Federal
Hosing Authority is currently facing a lot of
shortcomings. A housing delivery system is a
collection of production mechanisms, regulator and
administrative devices by which houses are provided
to the consumer. Being the first of its kind, the aims
of the Festac programme at accommodating the
overspill population of metropolitan Lagos was
adopted in the quest for a socially balanced and
self—contained community. The town now lacks
adequate community centres, which could serve as
centres of interaction for the residents thus, the goal
of a socially balanced community has not been
achieved. Crowding in the area riot only affects the
environment and the house; it also affects the
behaviours of the inhabitants. Overcrowding is
experienced in most of the housing units. Average
family size is 8 per household from the survey
compared to 6’ per household as planned. Majority of
the residents complained of lack of space in living
rooms, toilets, bathrooms, and kitchens and complete
absence of laundry facilities. Less complaint were
received in the hing—income ones of the housing
units as space allocation is better and social facilities
are better provided. Lack of space has also resulted in
the unkept appearance of the blocks of flats, where
balconies have been converted into stores (see
pictures). The facilities in many of e houses and the
town as a whole have been overstretched. The closes
are rowdy and 1ed with children in the evenings and
some blocks of flats have earned the appellation—
barracks”, implying congested areas.
The volume of vehicular traffic in Festac
Town especially at peak periods is another indicator
of overcrowding. It is estimated that about 3,800
households have cars, and about 600 of them have
more than one car in the family. Even occupants of
boysquarters in the town own motor vehicles which
they park in closes and other open spaces. Roads in
the Festival Town are not designed for as much
traffic as they now carry. The of rapid rowing
population, is not accompanied by equally expanding
facilities.
No doubt, Festac Town is fast losing its
original architectural beauty, the recreational
grounds, open spaces provided in the master plan, are
gradually taken over by illegal structures. Barely 22
years after its existence, the model” city has lost its
original image.
The enhancement of the aesthetic value or
the environment by landscaping is almost nonexistent. Though the Federal Housing Authority and
few owner-occupiers have attempted landscaping
their environments, their impacts are little felt.
The above discussions Illustrate the failures
of the development concept of Festac Town.
However, there are successes amidst these failures.
Festival Town has succeeded in providing a cushion
effect to the housing shortage in metropolitan Lagos.
This is evident in the num her of family units and
residents currently available in the place. Festac
Town has provided accommodation for people in
different income groups, social background, religion
and tribe, and the programme has become step
towards community integration in a country like
Nigeria with very many tribes and ethnic groups.
Festac Town acts as a growth pole (center)
because it has generated growth to that axis and its
immediate vicinity. Moreover, it is a catalyst for
economic activities that take place in the new town. It
has also increased the rate of development because of
the emergency of intensified urban development
around that area. Festac Town has positively affected
the
property value
along
Lagos-T3adagry
Expressway. Property development and value in the
area have improved over the years, with well—laid
residential estates, business districts, the Lagos
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International Trade Fair Complex and many other
developments.
Town still serves as relic or reminiscence of the
second world Festival of Black Arts and Culture. It is
like a souvenir, which reminds the nation about
activities which took place during the Black Arts and
Culture 1977 Festac Town has also to some extent,
met the aims of its existence, namely, to reduce the
acute housing pressures of the area and to provide as
an immediate goal, accommodation facilities for the
delegates and visitors of the second world Festival of
Black Arts and Culture. All these have been achieved
amidst the failures already discussed above.
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