The ACC is hosting a one-year research project funded by UK DfID to examine how public authorities can use rising land values to finance better, high-capacity urban infrastructure in selected African cities. A team of academics and practitioners is preparing background materials and case studies. The research is led by ACC adjunct professors Ian Palmer and Stephen Berrisford.

The work is divided into 3 main ‘sub-themes’:
Land markets as a source of finance for cities

1. The status of urban land markets in 2-3 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Is urban land properly valued in these countries?
2. To what extent are public authorities in these countries proving able to use rising land values in urban areas which can be used to finance better, higher-capacity urban infrastructure?
3. In these countries, what are the principal barriers to developing better functioning land markets?
4. Are these findings broadly applicable in Sub-Saharan Africa? What is the role of donor and development actors in helping to overcome these barriers?

Impact of finance additional finance on infrastructure

1. To what extent is the additional finance available through increasing land values used to develop improved infrastructure?
2. Where authorities are able to do this, are they using the finance raised to fund infrastructure that is likely to enhance the city’s productivity and job-creation potential and / or benefit low income groups?

Planning and regulation

1. In the case study countries, do public authorities use master plans and district plans to shape the space, density and land use patterns of the first and second and third tier cities? Are there regulations on zoning and density? If yes, are these regulations appropriate to increase the city’s potential for productivity and job creation? Compare outcomes in cities with no or little planning to those with structured planning processes.
2. In these countries, what are the principal barriers to developing improved planning and regulations? Discuss the extent to which these findings are more broadly applicable in Sub-Saharan Africa. What is the role of donor and development actors in helping to overcome these barriers?