Surveying the Effects of Urban Growth on the Suitability Value of Aesthetic Patches

Urban landscape is one of the most important issues which has been given less attention in urban planning. Along with urban growth, the areas with high visual quality have been more threatened and consequently urban natural quality has declined. So it is essential try to maintain or even improve the landscape visual quality and to include this issue in urban planners’ agenda. The goal of this research is surveying urban growth and its effect on landscape visual quality in Gorgan Township of the Golestan Province of Iran. Landscape visual quality modeling was done MCE WLC method with 9 factors including gardens and agricultural lands, rivers, vegetation type diversity, toposhape diversity, vegetation density, building height and density, urban green space; squares, refuges, boulevards (as one layer) and archaeological sites. Urban growth was predicted using SLEUTH model by developing three different scenarios including historical, managed and restricted growth in beautiful patches. Urban growth ratio from 2010 to 2030 for the first and second scenarios are 2.17 and 2.04 and for the first and second sub models of the third scenario are 1.91 and 1.18 in order. So by correct implementation of urban growth policies, 323 ha in the second scenario and 2500 and 650 ha in the first and second sub models of the third scenario would be saved. It is possible to do any changes and also manage the future urban growth in this integrated model, so using this approach as a multi object and dynamic approach would be useful in landuse planning.