The Use of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) as an Implementation Mechanism of Urban Development Plans (Case Study: Kashan City, Iran)

The functionality and efficiency of urban development plans in Iran is not satisfying for urban authorities, experts, and people. Confronting the issue of property rights is one of the major reasons for the inefficiency of these plans in a society, where the right is recognized officially by regulations. These plans are restrictive and passive and are not capable of interaction with their production values, and they seem like a tool for violating the people’s rights in action. Market-Oriented Planning (MOP) is one of the latest approaches dealing with urban issues, which relies on the entrepreneurial values of urban spaces and achieving the development objectives by establishing a link among production values of plan and the two old enemies; Market and Planning. The concept of introducing “Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)” in urban development plan's frameworks is a new method, which can contribute to more successful implementation of these plans in Iran. This happens through establishing an internal connection between tools and development objectives, as origins and purposes of transfer of development rights. It is crucial to have an exact accuracy in designing and improvement in urban management and in ongoing monitoring of the results. If the concept of TDR be integrated in urban development plans framework, such as comprehensive and detailed plans, the implementation of urban development plan's objectives could be more reachable and that is because this technique establishes a connection between property rights and land use plan, and creates an interaction between development and value preservation. Considering the results of the proposed transfer of development rights plan in Kashan city, development rights are transferred from sending areas, where conservation objectives and developments origins are required, to receiving areas as our development purposes. The sending areas in Kashan city are divided into two major categories; the first category includes special valuable lands, which are agricultural, historical and architectural values, precious natural resources, or having a perfect landscape respectively. The second category is related to propose lands for public services in land use plan. Receiving areas in this city are lands, where there is a good demand of developing from the market, and additionally considering the high potential of development, existence of essential infrastructure and enough interests for investment of developers, which are proposed for the future development of Kashan City from the urban planners. Based on the mentioned criteria these areas are located in three regions of Naji-Abad, Fin, and Shahed. Accordingly, in addition to considering the social justice and preserving the valuable lands and buildings of the city, the future development of the city will also be planned and directed. The ratio between development right and overall ownership right is 35 to 65 percent and the baseline development right density is 120 percent in Kashan City.