Shiraz Urban Sprawl and Its Structural-Functional Changes of Rural Neighborhood Case: Goyom village

Introduction: Urban sprawl is one kind of urban expansion or its characteristics, which has a negative general view. Based on given definitions, the most important characteristics of urban sprawl can be thought as low-density, strip like, diffuse, non-continues and land use segregation expansion. However, density is the most common criteria of urban sprawl that is derive by the comparison of percentage of built-up area to urban population growth. This phenomenon, regardless of its causes and characteristics, can be defined as growing less density residential area outwards from a central dense no-attractive with environmentally unstable urban core. In the middle of 20th century, the base for socioeconomic and spatial development in developing countries is generally based on renovation theory, industrial growth approach (strategy), polar development strategy. During 1960 decade, in many countries, this approach considered as a tool for policy making in local and global land use planning and implemented by the financial support of government and international institutions. In opposite to developed countries, this orientation in developing countries causes concentration of resources and infrastructure of development in national and regional growth centers, a need for industrial labor, unexpected migration of rural-urban population, a need for new spaces urban expansionmin its neighborhoods. During this trend, in spite of being agricultural and productive places, villages are gradually becoming centers of consumption. Such an orientation has been implemented in Iran from the beginning of this century and continued with more accelerated form from 1335. Polar growth strategy during 1347 to 1356 in the framework of forth (1347-51) and fifth (1352-56) development plan has been used as base for national and regional planning. These orientations caused concentration of resources and infrastructure of development in national and regional growth centers, a gap in the levels of regional and built-up development, a vast and comprehensive urban sprawl and structural-physical changes( i.e. land use changes). For instant, the rate of rural population has been reduced from 68.58 percent in 1335 to 62.02, 52.97, 45.71, 38.69, 31.45 in 1345, 1355, 1365, 1375 and 1385 respectively. Shiraz city is one of the county’s developmental centers in the southern Zagros. Its expansion trend from 1330 decade onwards has been in such a way that during different period extended continuous or non-continuous towards fringe especially in the direction of its main axe and followed topography. This trend caused a change in economic functionality of residential areas (Shiraz) from agricultural tasks to multi-tasks (with more service sector activity), annexation and merging of some villages and vast changes in its social, structural, spatial and political aspects. Goyom village (the center of Darak County) located in the 20 km North West of Shiraz and near Shiraz-Ardekan transportation network has severely affected by Shiraz urban sprawl and has undertaken dramatic structural-functional changes. This research has attempted to answer to this question that what are the structural-functional changes in Goyom village during 1380 to 1390 due to Shiraz urban sprawl. The aim of this paper is to define and describe the structural-functional change trend of Goyom village as a fringe shelter of Shiraz urban area. Methodology: This work with respect to its aim is fundamental-applied research and essentially is a descriptive- analytical research. Research approach is structural-functional which is done in global and strategy levels. Statistical coverage of this research is Shiraz city, township, and Goyom village. Information needed for this this study has been obtained though library and field work. In this research, geographical information systems use to analyze rate, direction, pattern, shape of Shiraz urban sprawl during 1335-1385 and Goyom village during 1380-1390. Three parameters economy, society, space, and their 24 indices used as base for this work. Results: Goyom village has affected by Shiraz urban sprawl during 1380- 1390 and extensively faced by structural-functional changes. In this decade, this village has become most attractive migrant neighborhood around Shiraz city and its area has increased by 3.3. Additionally, 59.3 percent of Goyom populations are employed in the service sector and32.2 percent of Goyom populations are employed in industrial sector.