City planning in Sri Lanka traced back to the 3rd century B.C, and Anuradhapura City which is the first city in the country, was planned by the King Pandukabhaya. The city and human settlement located near Malwathu oya river. Accoding to the mahawamsa the city evolution in three stages.The first stage is establishment of small agricultural communities on the malwathu oya river banks. Then the growth of the city center and third stage development of monasteries.Since then the capital city was moved to several locations due to security reasons, and these cities were well planned and some features are remarkable even today.
Sri Lanka came under the domination of the Portgues, Dutch and the british from year of 1505.The Duch period contributed to the traditional architecture of the buildings.
The development of present town planning principals and practices traced back to the british in 1802.The housing and town improvement ordinance of 1915 began on phsysical planning and urban development of Sri Lanka.This legislation came with the existing problems of insanitory conditions and urban over crowding as well as to prevent such conditions in the future. The town and country planning ordinance which came into effectin 1946 was mainly concerned with the örderly and planned development of towns, preservation of places of historical and architectural interest and areas of scenic beauty:
After Independence
In 1948, the Government invited Sir Patrick Abecrombie to prepare a regional plan for Colombo and its surrounding region covering an area of 220 square miles. The region included the capital city, the adjoining built-up urban area and a considerable extent of rural country in the periphery.
Abercombie’s Regional Plan and his proposal for the development of the Colombo Metropolitan area were subsequently amended according to the decisions of the Central Planning Commission in 1957, to carry out the planned development of satellite towns within the region in order to accommodate the overspill of the people from crowded city area. It was felt that Abecrombie’s plan was not adequate to accommodate the rapid changes taking place in the urban areas, especially in Colombo and its surrounding sub urban areas. The Government sought UNDP assistance to mitigate the perceived problems. This was the beginning of a build up of a consensus on the necessity of a Master Plan for Colombo and it’s environs.
The Master Plan for the Colombo Metropolitan Region of 1978 consisted of two interrelated documents, namely the Colombo Metropolitan Regional Structure Plan and the Colombo Urban Area Plan. The Colombo Master Plan Project, which pursued a balanced regional development strategy, covered the Colombo District including the area now classified as Gampaha District and part of Kalutara District.
The establishment of the Urban Development Authority as a planning organisation was also a direct outcome of the Colombo Master Plan. The City of Colombo Development Plan was prepared and gazetted by the Urban Development Authority in 1985 and it enabled the UDA to implement zoning and building regulations
A review of urban development since the publication of the Colombo Master Plan shows that several significant planned developments have taken place. These include the Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Parliamentary Complex, the Superior Courts Complex and the Biyagama and Katunayaka Free Trade Zones. The development that has taken place during the last twenty years has significantly changed the urban environment in and around Colombo.
The decision to prepare a new structure plan for the Colombo Metropolitan Region was greatly influenced by the changes during the last twenty years. All aspects of the region, such as infrastructure, transport, health, education, industry, housing and agriculture have been taken into account. The proposed strategies for physical formations are aimed at making the City of Colombo more orderly and environmentally friendly and yet highly dynamic and economically diverse. The strategy of the CMR Plan is to utilise this natural layout by making further improvements for sustainable development through the application of appropriate environmental and physical planning strategies.
The new Structure Plan addresses strategies for the Core Area, Growth Centres, Industrial Townships, other Urban Centres and the Physical formation of the future CMR. In developing these strategies, the various demands for lands that arise from population increase, expansion of industrial activities, growth in commercial and service sectors and the need to preserve the fast dwindling environmentally sensitive lands have been taken into consideration.
The new Structure Plan also proposes zoning and building density regulations for the CMR. The objective of introducing these regulations is to ensure that future urban development conforms to environmentally and aesthetically acceptable standards
Abercombie’s Regional Plan and his proposal for the development of the Colombo Metropolitan area were subsequently amended according to the decisions of the Central Planning Commission in 1957, to carry out the planned development of satellite towns within the region in order to accommodate the overspill of the people from crowded city area. It was felt that Abecrombie’s plan was not adequate to accommodate the rapid changes taking place in the urban areas, especially in Colombo and its surrounding sub urban areas. The Government sought UNDP assistance to mitigate the perceived problems. This was the beginning of a build up of a consensus on the necessity of a Master Plan for Colombo and it’s environs.
The Master Plan for the Colombo Metropolitan Region of 1978 consisted of two interrelated documents, namely the Colombo Metropolitan Regional Structure Plan and the Colombo Urban Area Plan. The Colombo Master Plan Project, which pursued a balanced regional development strategy, covered the Colombo District including the area now classified as Gampaha District and part of Kalutara District.
The establishment of the Urban Development Authority as a planning organisation was also a direct outcome of the Colombo Master Plan. The City of Colombo Development Plan was prepared and gazetted by the Urban Development Authority in 1985 and it enabled the UDA to implement zoning and building regulations
A review of urban development since the publication of the Colombo Master Plan shows that several significant planned developments have taken place. These include the Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Parliamentary Complex, the Superior Courts Complex and the Biyagama and Katunayaka Free Trade Zones. The development that has taken place during the last twenty years has significantly changed the urban environment in and around Colombo.
The decision to prepare a new structure plan for the Colombo Metropolitan Region was greatly influenced by the changes during the last twenty years. All aspects of the region, such as infrastructure, transport, health, education, industry, housing and agriculture have been taken into account. The proposed strategies for physical formations are aimed at making the City of Colombo more orderly and environmentally friendly and yet highly dynamic and economically diverse. The strategy of the CMR Plan is to utilise this natural layout by making further improvements for sustainable development through the application of appropriate environmental and physical planning strategies.
The new Structure Plan addresses strategies for the Core Area, Growth Centres, Industrial Townships, other Urban Centres and the Physical formation of the future CMR. In developing these strategies, the various demands for lands that arise from population increase, expansion of industrial activities, growth in commercial and service sectors and the need to preserve the fast dwindling environmentally sensitive lands have been taken into consideration.
The new Structure Plan also proposes zoning and building density regulations for the CMR. The objective of introducing these regulations is to ensure that future urban development conforms to environmentally and aesthetically acceptable standards
The Profession
When we come to modern City planning, Oliver Weerasinghe the first town planner which was planning and development of the new city of Anuradhapura in 1940's, as a step to preserving the ancient city. After independence, until 1980, Sri Lanka had only few Town Planners, and all of them had foreign academic and professional qualifications. It was necessary to obtain Town planning qualification from UK or Australia to become a qualified Town Planner. Considering the demand, after commencement of the M.Sc. Degree Course in Town and Country Planning and Post Graduate Diploma Course at the University of Moratuwa a considerable number of Town Planners obtained qualifications.
The Department of Town & Country Planning now moving to multidisciplinary approach in Planning modules form a vast range of fields in Master of Spatial Planning, Management and Design.
In the 1980s, the Town Planners have gained more recognition by making physical plans in the light of rapid urbanization and the introduction of an open economy. Town planners found employment opportunities in the State Sector and Private Sector as well. The Town and Country Planning Department, the Urban Development Authority, the National Housing Development Authority, the Greater Colombo Economic Commission, the Mahaweli Development Authority of Sri Lanka etc. have employed a large number of Town Planners. The establishment of the Institute of Town Planners, Sri Lanka was in 1982 under the presidency of late Professor Neville Gunaratna, one of the pioneer Town Planners in Sri Lanka. The Institute was incorporated by the Parliament of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka by Act No 23 of 1986. It has the legal status to offer the membership to the qualified Town Planning graduates to enable them to practice as fully fledged Town Planners. since the institute has nearly 450 Corporate members, 125 Associate members and over 300 Student members.
The Department of Town & Country Planning now moving to multidisciplinary approach in Planning modules form a vast range of fields in Master of Spatial Planning, Management and Design.
In the 1980s, the Town Planners have gained more recognition by making physical plans in the light of rapid urbanization and the introduction of an open economy. Town planners found employment opportunities in the State Sector and Private Sector as well. The Town and Country Planning Department, the Urban Development Authority, the National Housing Development Authority, the Greater Colombo Economic Commission, the Mahaweli Development Authority of Sri Lanka etc. have employed a large number of Town Planners. The establishment of the Institute of Town Planners, Sri Lanka was in 1982 under the presidency of late Professor Neville Gunaratna, one of the pioneer Town Planners in Sri Lanka. The Institute was incorporated by the Parliament of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka by Act No 23 of 1986. It has the legal status to offer the membership to the qualified Town Planning graduates to enable them to practice as fully fledged Town Planners. since the institute has nearly 450 Corporate members, 125 Associate members and over 300 Student members.
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