Towards more effective urban planning in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Jeddah, the second largest city in Saudi Arabia, suffers from inadequate infrastructure and urban services, along with extensive illegal development. This research investigates whether more effective urban planning could improve the situation. The research investigations started with a critical review of the urban plans made for Jeddah over the years. The related literature review suggested that urban governance arrangements greatly influence urban planning’s effectiveness. On that basis, this research tests whether the recent establishment of a municipal council could contribute to solving Jeddah’s physical and social problems. All key decisions, including budgets, are made by the King and his associates, all based in Riyadh, the capital city. Jeddah’s municipal council brought together a wider range of stakeholders with an interest in Jeddah’s development to advise Riyadh what they considered to be conducted with elected and unelected people on the council together with selected planners and scholars provided the empirical basis of the thesis. The results, while tentative, suggest the value of more local input into the decision making process to ensure more effective planning in Jeddah. Suggestions are made to further secure governance and planning reforms in the kingdom.