Possibility of Integrated Planning for Parks, Greenbelts and Street Space in South Korea

Abstract

Background and objective: Planning for parks and greenbelts is crucial in public housing district plans. This study wasconducted to explore the possibility of expanding parks and greenbelts by adjusting street space according to legal basesand suggest a model for expanding parks and greenbelts by reducing the area of roads in new town planning. Methods: The research site, Public Housing District ‘Wangsuk 2’ near Seoul City, is part of the 3rd Phase New Towns. Itis being developed according to the government’s policy to expand the housing supply in the Seoul metropolitan area. Thelegal possibilities related to land, housing, and roads were reviewed, the site was analyzed through the land use plan ofWangsuk 2, and an integration model was developed, applied, and evaluated. Results: An integrated street park model was designed, which integrates sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and planting stripsplanned as part of road facilities with adjacent parks or greenbelts. The road sections of the site that require theimprovement of street space were selected for the model application. As a result of the simulation, the total length of theintegrated street parks was about 4 km, the area of parks and greenbelts expanded by 15,901 m², increasing the ratio ofpark and greenbelt area by 0.7%, and the ratio of road area decreased from 17.1% to 16.4%. Conclusion: Integrated street parks expand green space in new town development while providing a safe and comfortablepassage for visitors, pedestrians, bicycle/PM users, and drivers. This study is significant in that it presents an alternativeto expanding green space that can improve street space and urban environment, which residents can experience daily.