Structural Analysis of Factors Affecting the Formation and Growth of the Spatial Form of Cities: A Case study on Sari City

The rapid growth of cities around the world occurred at a time when cities were unable to provide services to their rapidly growing urban population, leading to the dispersal of land on the edge of cities, the proliferation of illegal and marginal settlements. Considering the physical development of the city is a basic necessity in urban development programs. In Iran, the rapid physical expansion of cities in the form of unplanned and unbalanced growth for various reasons, including involuntary migration, is one of the main problems of cities, as a result of which the phenomenon of urban sprawl occurs. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the factors affecting the physical-spatial development of Sari. The present applied research is analytical-descriptive. Theoretical data have been prepared through documentary method and experimental data have been prepared through survey method. In preparing the development drivers, the Delphi method has been used. According to the above criteria, 20 experts and specialists of academic and research centers have been selected to participate in the research. In data processing, structural interaction analysis method has been used in MIC MAC Software. Based on the obtained results, the most important factors affecting the growth of Sari spatial form include factors such as inefficient urban management, high quality agricultural land, land price, weakness and non-observance of communication network hierarchy, land and housing transfer policy, as well as being the center of the province and equipped it with superior regional services.