Analysis of urban development in the city of Marijampolė

Abstract

During the last five years (2012 - 2017), the built-up territories in the city of Marijampolė have increased by 121.96 ha, i.e. as much as 10.57%. The area of the built-up territories was most often increased at the expense of another land. In the last five years (in 2012 - 2017) another land in Marijampolė has decreased by 650 ha, i.e. as much as 81.23%. [1]. The city of Marijampolė is expanding in the north-east direction, developing industrial and storage areas, developing a low-rise residential area in the north-west direction. The city of Marijampolė also has a well-developed network of roads. The city is surrounded by two main roads, international road – “Via Baltica” and “Rail Baltic” railroad. Good communication helps to attract local and foreign investment, create new jobs, and improve the social and economic environment in the city. In the analysis of the current condition of the general plan of Marijampolė, approved on 27-08-2012, the part of the built-up territory amounted to 47.79% and the population density per hectare was 16.39 inhabitants / ha. Today's population density is 14.93 inhabitants / ha, i.e. a downward trend is observed. According to the data of the Department of Statistics from 2010 by 2017 the population in Marijampolė has decreased by as much as 27.15%, while, as already mentioned, the area occupied by urban territories has increased [2]. Today, the built-up territories in the city of Marijampolė account for 53%, agricultural land – 26%, roads – 7%, other land – 6%, water bodies – 6%, forest land – 2% of the city area... The urban general plans provide for relatively large areas for newly urbanized territories, which proves that urban development in cities, especially in larger ones, is taking place quite intensively. The main factors influencing such urban development are economic, social, demographic, and territorial. Another important enough factor proving the relevance of this topic is the attention of mass media when it comes to urban development issues, great dissatisfaction with irrational land use, chaotic development of suburban areas, and so on. The aim of this work is to perform analysis of urban development in the city of Marijampolė. The city of Marijampolė is the seventh largest city in Lithuania, which, according to the data of the Land Fund of January 1, 2017, occupy 16.90% of Marijampolė County and 1.15% of the Republic of Lithuania area. In the decisions of the general plan of the Republic of Lithuania, the city of Marijampolė is assigned to the second level - the regional center category A. This city needs the maintenance and renovation of the existing social and economic potential.