Critical study of urban development policies and plans in Iran

Cities need good, participatory and effective policies and plans for development. Urban development plans such as comprehensive plan are the most important tool for implementation of policies and plans. The effective implementation of city development plan requires high level documents such as spatial planning; good macro development plans policies, efficient urban management and public participation. I used the dependency theory for analyzing urban changes in Iran. The most important state interventions in urban development are reviewed and urban development plans are criticized. It seems urban development policies and plans are defeated by the lack of public participation and monitoring, huge inefficient bureaucracies and rent seeking public organizations. The formal policies and plans can’t solve the problems of dependent urbanization. The urban growth is leaded by the interests of powerful groups who are seeking land and city rents and the poor people who are trying for land acquisition and building slums. The continuity of periphery urbanization is the result of such condition.