Transformation of Urban Regeneration Legislation, Practice, and Planning Principles Conflict in a Construction-Led Economy: Ankara Case in Court Decisions

Urban regeneration and urban renewal processes and implementation of the projects are regulated by legislation. Turkey, as an outcome of its fragile and undeveloped political and economic structure, has adopted "a construction-led economic growth and urban regeneration strategy" as a policy to solve economic problems and in 2012 "disaster risky areas" were included within the scope of regeneration with the Law no 6306, which was prepared to transform and accelerate the urban regeneration. Putting forward "struggle with disaster risk" aims to eliminate obstacles leading delays in implementation of regeneration. Disaster-risky urban areas, and unbuilt areas and even the historical and conservation areas have been the subject of regeneration. In this study, "cancellations and court processes which includes determination and boundaries of regeneration areas, announcement and implementation of projects in the period of 2005-2012 in Ankara with high rate of cancellations" is examined. It is aimed to discuss the reasons behind failure to establish the expected relationship between planning principles and so called urban transformation, as well as to debate the conditions and possibilities of the integration of the economic and social components of the city with the planning processes. According to the results of the study, inconsistency of the plan scales in hierarchy; conflict with urban regeneration criteria; the lack of necessary surveys, analyses and assessments to determine urban transformation area boundaries; and the proposed additional building densities that are incompatible with the zoning rights and fair distribution, are the main problems.