The Impact of Spontaneous Housing Construction on Urban Planning in Buea Urban Area, Buea Sub-Division

Abstract

Globally, about 1.1 billion people currently live in spontaneous settlements, equivalent to 25% of the world’s urban dwellers (UN Statistics Division, 2022). Such a scenario exists in the Buea Municipality which has experienced a rapid population growth from 2016 (2.5%) to 2024 (3.1%) accompanied by limited housing facilities. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of spontaneous housing construction on urban planning in the Buea urban area. It was an investigatory and exploratory study that employed the mixed research methods.  Primary data were obtained through questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews, which were supplemented with secondary data collected from published related articles, magazines, offline and online libraries. Data were analyzed using the descriptive and inferential statistical techniques with the results presented on figures, pie-charts and histograms. Results revealed that most of the urban dwellers earned differently with a majority earning very low salaries. Furthermore, the population has grown rapidly over the years (from 2.5% to 3.1%) with limited number of housing facilities and carrying capacities which have forced a greater proportion of the population to settle on unplanned areas. Further results revealed that because of unplanned settlements, there were challenges to provide utility services, emergency services, postal services and e-commerce services. Based on the impact posed by the lack of house numbering on service delivery, a majority (45%) of the population attested that unstandardized numbered spontaneous housing posed significant impacts, 25% said moderate impacts, 20% said minor impacts and 10% claimed that there were no impacts. However, urban dwellers adapted to these multiple challenges by adopting to low-cost renovations, visiting community-based pharmacies, and attending low-cost private and community schools and reliant on community-based group for survival. The study concludes that suitable housing facilities were mandatory as stressed by SDG 11 and recommended a holistic and objective town planning process and the provision of basic services in the Buea urban area.