Master Planning
A master plan is a dynamic long-term planning document that provides a conceptual layout to guide future growth and development. Master planning is about making the connection between buildings, social settings, and their surrounding environments. A master plan includes analysis, recommendations, and proposals for a site’s population, economy, housing, transportation, community facilities, and land use. It is based on public input, surveys, planning initiatives, existing development, physical characteristics, and social and economic conditions. (World Bank, 2019).
Master planning can assume some or all of these roles:
- Develop a phasing and implementation schedule and identify priorities for action
- Act as a framework for regeneration and attract private sector investment.
- Conceptualize and shape the three-dimensional urban environment.
- Define public, semiprivate, and private spaces and public amenities
- Determine the mix of uses and their physical relationship.
- Engage the local community and act as builder of consensus.
Feasibility Studies
The feasibility study is an objective review of available options for development. It includes findings, analysis, and conclusions from the visioning and scoping exercises for a given site or inner-city area. It indicates whether the chosen site is suitable for the intended function, taking into account the financial, social, and environmental aspects of each proposal. Many comprehensive master plans start with a feasibility study in order to understand the site’s geographic, environmental, and historic context. This process builds on the information collected and analysis developed during the scoping phase. Any background reports that are deemed necessary (that is, hydrology, environment, cultural heritage, transport, and so on) should also be commissioned at this stage to inform the master planning process