Sustainable Urban Development for Costal City Case Study: Bourg El-Bourols City

Egyptian cities have faced several challenges since the beginning of the new millennium such as rapid population growth, urban decay at the expense of available shelter, services, degradation of infrastructure and land, environmental deterioration, social structure, and the economy in general. All these factors led to unsustainable living [1].

The spread of urbanization in the new coastal areas far from the cities helped to spread the random growth of urbanization in a way that is difficult to control and manage on a regular basis [2]. Urbanization of coastal area has become a threat to coastal and natural resources [3]. Unplanned urban development which has been established on these coasts led to an urban disruption and random possession of land that necessitated the rapid intervention of the country [4].

The country has established management systems for coastal areas and developed methods to control the growth of coastal and urban activities in them. Therefore, the concept of comprehensive coastal development appeared along with the concept of sustainable development to preserve coastal and natural resources and protect the environment from unplanned coastal uses [5].

The general framework for the comprehensive urban development of the coasts involves the integration of the strategic plans of the various development sectors with the national urban strategy and urban development plans for residential communities, commercial and industrial ports [6], in addition to tourism activities and industrial and productive projects built on these coasts. Therefore, for a better preparation of comprehensive development plans for these coasts, it is necessary to take these activities into account and study the planning and strategic studies prepared for urban, sectorial, and economic development on coasts [7, 8], in addition to the constrains imposed by the environmental characteristics, security necessities and the current conditions.

Kafr El Sheikh Governorate is one of the governorates that have a distinguished geographical location in the Delta region in the north of the Arab Republic of Egypt [9], It contains major economic, social, and environmental factors that make investment in development projects a top priority for the national economy advancement plans. Based on determining the development sectors in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, the northwestern coast of the governorate has been placed in the priorities of the state's development plans due to its large economic, societal, and environmental factors [10], Several development axes were identified, where the development of Lake Burullus is taken as apriority to protect its ecological environment Figure 1 [11].

The area of Al-Burullus, located in the northern part of the Egyptian Delta, is a bustling commercial and administrative center. It is one of five protected lakes in Egypt that accommodate both a leisure summer resort and a poor stay throughout the year [12]. The lake, over time, has faced many changes with respect to the surrounding cities, which in turn have greatly affected the shore. Changes in land use and nature have altered the shoreline and will ultimately lead to many environmental and urban changes as well [13].

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Figure 1. Map showing the districts surrounding Lake Burullus [12]

A lot of measures must be taken when considering future extensions of cities that have natural edges such as Lake Burullus and the vast agricultural lands [14]. The above-mentioned challenges will face the existing societies, extend in relation to the surrounding areas, and thus contribute to changing the identity of the region.

This paper focuses on the importance of urban development and solutions for the cities surrounding Lake Burullus as well as coastal protection and implementation policies to improve the degradation of the coastline, considering the importance of rural regeneration and its impact on this area. It concludes that the success of coastline development depends on several factors and that urban planning must cover problems across urban and peri-urban areas and address multidisciplinary issues [15]. The analytical study of the study area was carried out using the Geographic Information System (GIS), which is a system that collects, maintains, stores, analyzes, outputs, and distributes data and spatial descriptive information for specific purposes, help with planning and decision making in relation to city planning [16].

The research focuses on collecting and providing information and data about Burj Al-Burullus city and reaching numbers, statistics and data that reflect the developmental reality of the city through the participation of the local community., and identifying its resources, capabilities and characteristics in order to develop it and presents an attempt to reach a mechanism through which sustainable urban development can be achieved in all economic, social, and demographic aspects.

In addition, it contributes to formulating a vision for the study area and developing a strategy to achieve sustainable urban development in the region with the participation of economic institutions in a way that stimulates these institutions to invest without bearing the occupants of the study area any financial burdens required by that development.

Lake Burullus, situated in a middle locus between the two branches of the Nile that form the Delta, is the centerpiece of the five lakes (and associated wetlands): Bardawil in Sinai, Manzala in the eastern Delta, Burullus, Idku in west and Mareotis further west [19].

Lake Burullus is a protected area that extends over an area of 460 square kilometers and lies towards the east of the Rashid branch of the Nile River in Egypt. It is the second largest natural lake in Egypt. Lake Burullus is one of the oldest Egyptian lakes known successively as Lake Botou, Lake Potico, and then Lake Nikiolos. At the end of the Roman rule, it was called Lake Paralus, then Lake Nastrauh, in reference to the Nastrawi region, which was famous in the past, and which is now known as Mistrutah. The lake was finally known as Lake Burullus, in relation to the village of Burullus, which has turned into a city [20].

Lake Burullus is the second largest natural lake in Egypt in terms of area; its area is about 98 thousand feddans after a decrease of 50% of its original area due to encroachments. It is in Kafr El Sheikh Governorate. It plays a big role in receiving migratory wild birds. It was declared a natural reserve in 1998 AD, with 28 islands at great distances where some fishermen and several people live, and livestock and other animals are raised [21].

Lake Burullus is about 300 km from Cairo, the capital of Egypt Table 1. It contains several landmarks, including: Burj Al-Burullus, which is located between the Mediterranean and the lake, Bogaz Burullus, and the beautiful sandy beaches It also has many monuments, such as: Fanar Al-Burullus, and others, and it is famous for the manufacture of fishing boats and exporting them to many countries. In addition, its residents are proficient and distinguished by their professionalism in the arts of fishing of all kinds. There are many villages beside the lake that are the basis of the fish wealth, such as Al- Banayeen and the Tuesday market.

Table 1. The main details about Burullus Lake Source: Researchers

Kafr El Sheikh Governorate consists of 10 administrative centers followed by 10 cities, and 44 village local units with 206 villages and 1784 farms, Kafr and Naga. In the governorate, there are 589,932 acres of agricultural land, most of which are of the third grade (due to the high salinity). The governorate’s production of fish is estimated at 172.2 thousand tons annually. The total population of the governorate is 3.3 million, of whom 77% are in the countryside and are proficient in agriculture. The industry and crafts sector includes no more than 2% of the workforce, and they work in Baltim, Matobas, Hamoul and Fuwa.

The center of Baltim is in the far north of the governorate, and it is bordered on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the east by the Dakahlia Governorate, and on the west by the Sidi Salem Center, and on the south by Lake Burullus and Hamoul. Baltim is the capital of the center. The center has two main villages with their dependencies, Burj Al-Burullus and Shehabiyeh.

Lake Burullus is surrounded by five centers (Table 2) (Burullus Center - Al Hamoul - Riyadh - Mutoubas - Sidi Salem) Figure 3. Burullus Center is located at the northeastern end of Lake Burullus, its capital is the city of Baltim, followed by three cities: Baltim, Baltim Resort City, and Burj Al Burullus.

Table 2. Population distribution in the five administrative centers around Lake Burullus

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Figure 3. Kafr El Sheikh Governorate consists of 10 administrative centers followed by 10 cities around Lake Burullus

Burj Al-Burullus is a small city located on the northwestern edge of the Burullus Center, between the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Burullus (Figure 4). It is characterized by the dazzling purity of its atmosphere, its vibrant attractive colors and the absence of unemployment among its residents who work in fishing and manufacturing small and large boats. They have also become skilled in the marine yachting industry.

Urban development challenges represent the biggest motivation for defining a clear development strategy that helps find appropriate urban solutions to overcome these challenges [22]. The next part of the research proposes solutions to development challenges and sets up plans to implement urban development as a link between the challenges and development results.

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Figure 4. Burj Al-Burullus is a small city located on the northwestern edge of the Burullus Center

3.1 Previous studies

Over the past few years, the shoreline of the study area has experienced significant changes in environmental conditions. Some are natural, such as erosion along the coastline, and some are of human origin, such as drying up of wetlands and expansions of agricultural production areas [23]. These changes increase the weakness of the coastal area in relation to sea level rise related to the climate change, especially as natural protection is removed and the potential for land subsidence increases. The main coastal problems within this region are related to erosion due to dynamic factors and low sediment supply from the Nile River after the construction of the Aswan High Dam [24].

Urban sprawl of people to coastal areas is represented in the form of tourism, entertainment, residential and industrial development. There is a steady increase in population growth in the area, while the land area is rapidly eroding. This is expected to lead to serious ecological disruption of the fragile ecosystem unless some effective coastal management measures are taken [25].

The previous studies confirmed that the study area suffers from many problems such as housing models ignore the possibilities of the site and the surrounding environment. This led to the abandonment of its residents, with the absence of development strategies to restore these villages to sustainable neighborhoods. The study area needs to development of site infrastructure, mobility systems, services, energy, and resource management must therefore be combined with the renovation of building forms and occupants to accommodate high density to ensure economic, social, and environmental sustainability [26].

Based on the Egyptian Building Law No. 119 of 2008 and its implementing regulations regarding village planning, the area of the plot of land designated for construction must not be less than 70 square meters. The plot of land must have at least one side on the road, where the length of the side overlooking the road is no less than 7 meters. Likewise, road widths may not be less than 6 meters, while any block may not exceed 150 meters in length. The maximum height of the buildings on both sides of the road shall not exceed 1.5 times the width of the road. The National Organization for Urban Coordination issued a set of guidelines, where one of those guidelines dealt with the ratio of the length to the width of urban spaces, which is defined as 3: 2, and the ratio of the width of the urban space to the height of the buildings overlooking as 3: 4. For example, for buildings with a height of 9 Meters, the width of the urban space shall be 7.5 meters.

The problem lies in the northern part of the main road that passes horizontally through the city, as it includes relatively large areas of shacks used as housing, which represent 11% of the total built-up land area or suitable for construction land, as shown in Figure 7. To benefit from the spaces on which these shacks are built, various methods have been proposed. These methods differ according to the location of the shack and its suitability to create urban spaces within the urban cluster that allow the existence of investment activities. These methods include:

1. Some shacks are not suitable to be used as a new urban space or to be replaced with a new building due to the Egyptian building codes that restrict the minimum area of land for building to 70 square meters Therefore, being adjacent to one of the dilapidated buildings provided an opportunity to combine them as one piece of land for construction, which provides a suitable space for construction in accordance with the law. In addition, it provided the residents of the dilapidated buildings with a new suitable residence. On the other hand, the process includes merging the property and establishing a three-story building.

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Figure 7. The uses – heights - condition (good - medium - bad) and structure system of the buildings in study area

2. Transferring the occupants of some shacks to alternative housing that was available as a result of replacing other shacks with new buildings and making use of those spaces to create urban spaces within the urban mass.

3. Replacing some shacks with new buildings in their same places and limits of their possession, but with a height of three floors instead of one floor.

Dilapidated buildings of poor construction represent 55% of the total built-up land area or area suitable for construction, as shown in Figure 8. They represent an imminent danger to lives and property, which creates a need for wise dealings to guarantee the safety of their occupants and at the same time maximize their use in terms of investment or planning. Different methods have been proposed to deal with these buildings in accordance with their location. These methods include the following:

1. Some dilapidated buildings are adjacent to some shacks whose areas are less than 70 meters by merging the ownership of the two plots of land and replacing them with one new three-story building.

2. Some of the dilapidated buildings whose location can be invested so that the plot of land they occupy can be part of a new urban space that contributes, in terms of planning and economy, to creating a good investment opportunity. Thus. It is possible to expropriate its ownership and compensate the occupants with alternatives offered by the new facilities mentioned before.

3. Restoration and consolidation of the remaining dilapidated buildings. The restoration and consolidation may include the replacement of major structural elements in the building.

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Figure 8. The building condition and Building structural systems in the Study area and the relative relationships between each other

One of the most important characteristics of the urban mass under study is that it contains unused and abundant areas that reach 5% of the total built-up land area or area suitable for construction, which makes it a good opportunity for investment. Different methods have been proposed to deal with it in accordance with the location of the building. These methods are:

1. Building on them to be included into the urban mass so that they are used as determinants of urban spaces that lack spatial determinants, which helps in finding compensatory solutions for some occupants of shacks and dilapidated buildings whose properties will be expropriated.

2. Transforming some of the buildings which location allows employing them as urban spaces within the urban mass either individually or by adding them to areas that will turn into urban spaces of shack land or dilapidated buildings that will be expropriated.

To maintain streets with a width of not less than 6 meters, this must be done when constructing the new buildings mentioned above, so that the building boundary of the new building returns by half the width of the road measured from the middle of the current road. The new construction or what will be replaced by a new three-story building will provide more spaces for both residential and commercial occupancy for investment. The new buildings have replaced shacks of only one floor and dilapidated buildings, most of which are only two floors high, thus providing a surplus of space available for housing and other activities.

The total of the permeated lands to be built, the shacks, and the dilapidated buildings to be replaced are built with a ground floor + two floors, provided that the building boundary is set back from the road, with half the difference between the width of the road and the 6 meters, which is the minimum street widths in Egyptian villages according to the law.

The empty lands that will be built on are used as temporary housing for the occupants of the houses that will be replaced. Then, the occupants of the housing that will be demolished are transferred therein.

From the above, it is found that a set of Action to be taken towards re-planning the study area, which is shown in the following Table 4:

Table 4. Suggest different actions of dealing with the study. area

Description	Actions
Space areas to be built	Build
Shacks less than 70 meters will be integrated with shacks or dilapidated buildings next to them	Merge
Existing buildings require preservation of their condition with no additional floors being permitted	Preserve
Existing buildings in poor structural condition, requiring restoration with additional floors being permitted	Repair
Single shacks will be replaced in their place	Replace
Space areas are maintained	Space
Shacks or dilapidated buildings that will be turned into square	Transfer

Using GIS technology, the following could be determined:

1. The area of shacks that are less than 70 meters (separate, so that it cannot be included with other shacks to create an urban space).

2. Less than 70 meters buildings in poor condition (adjacent to individual shacks to be included in the construction of a residential building to compensate the occupants).

3. The adjacent parts in which conditions (1) and (2) are fulfilled to determine which of them will be joined to obtain plots of land in accordance with the Egyptian law of an area greater than 70 square meters where the width of the land on the street is greater than 7 meters (Table 5).

The process is carried out in a minimalistic way to avoid clashes with multiple owners to encourage the other owners as per the result of the experiment Figure 9.

Table 4 represents the action parameters of evaluation but Table 5 shows the values of these action parameters which these values represent in map Figure 9 and pie diagrams. By analyzing the results, it is found that the total areas of currently plots of land, whether buildings or shacks, including unused vacant lands, are 78959 square meters. With a total surface area of buildings and shacks estimated at 16, 8002 square meters. In addition, by applying the proposed methodology, it is found that the built area -Foot Print- decreases by 3234 square meters, equivalent to 4.1%, to become 75725 square meters, as shown in Figure 10.

The total built-up surface of floors also increased by 14,307 square meters, equivalent to 8.52%, to become 182,309 square meters, as in Figure 2, which increases the chances of attracting capital for investment and benefiting from the increase in floor surfaces.

Furthermore, urban spaces that have been created to improve the urban environment without disturbing the urban fabric are an opportunity to increase the investment return as increasing those urban spaces from 3603 square meters to 4,743 square meters, equivalent to 32% as in Figure 4, which in turn creates high investment opportunities as well as social and cultural values.

Table 5. The proposed classification for re-planning

Totals	Transfer	Remain Space	Replace	Repair	Preserve	Merge	Space to Built	Action
								Area
78.959	3.367	1.745	4.267	32.965	31.688	3.069	1.858	Sum of Existing Footprint Include open spaces
168.002	5.00	0.00	4.271	73.706	81.017	4.008	0.00	Sum of existing Floor’s area exclude Open Spaces
1.20	1.42	0.00	1.00	2.16	2.51	1.30	0.00	Existing Average Floors Count
19.307	0.00	0.00	8.534	0.00	0.00	5.200	5.574	Sum of New Floors Area (Extension in Height)
182.309	0.00	0.00	12.805	73.706	81.017	9.207	5.574	Sum of Total Floors Area (Existing + New)
1.95	0.00	0.00	3.00	2.16	2.51	3.00	3.00	New Average Floors
75.725	0.00	0.00	4.268	34.196	32.334	3.069	1.858	New Footprint

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Figure 9. The proposed classification for re-planning

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Figure 10. The total planes of (planes of urban spaces- flat floors - areas of land plots) in the Study area