Colombo City Development Plan History

Patrick Geddes Plan - 1921

Physical planning for Colombo has been developed since the colonial era. The first major planning initiative was prepared by Sir Patrick Geddes in 1921, with the planning area confined to the boundaries of Colombo City. The central vision of the plan was to transform Colombo into the "Garden City of the East." The tree-lined streets, such as Bauddhaloka Mawatha, and the grid-pattern road network in Cinnamon Gardens are enduring legacies of the Geddes Plan, and these areas continue to be among the city's most desirable residential neighborhoods. Geddes also proposed the expansion of the Colombo Port, the establishment of public parks and a zoological garden, and improvements to the city's transportation network. His plan laid the foundation for the development of key internal roads, including the present-day R. A. de Mel Mawatha (formerly Duplication Road), which was constructed to provide an alternative route and relieve traffic congestion on Galle Road.

Patrick Abercrombie Plan - 1948

In 1948 Sir Patrick Abercrombie focus on the development with in the suburban  area of Ragama, Homagama and Ratmalana as satellite towns that would help decentralize urban activities in the region. The plan included a ring road to link these towns and the shifting of central administrative functions to Ratmalana.

 This plan approved by the Central Planning Commission in March 1949. The Plan focused on the City of Colombo and the surrounding region covering nearly 220 sq. miles extended up to Ja-Ela in the North, Moratuwa in the South and 14 miles inland to the East. Decentralization of activities was one of the main objectives of the Plan. The Zoning Proposals were introduced in the Plan including Character Zoning and Density Zoning.
The main problems highlighted in the Abercrombie Plan were the high concentration of economic, trade and port related activities in the city and their effects.
 

 Colombo Master Plan Project (UNDP - 1978)

The Master Plan Project for the Colombo Metropolitan Region consists of two inter-related 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 the Gampaha District and part of Kalutara District.

The Planning Unit was divided into Central Sub-region and Outer-region. The central sub-region consisted the Colombo urban area while the outer region consisted, the outer urban cluster. However, the strategy of the balanced spatial development, was not successful. Unchecked urban sprawl continued at a rapid rate than in the past and the Colombo urban area continued to expand beyond its physical limits as defined in the Colombo Master Plan. The Centers that were designated as nucleus of development in the outer sub region have also failed to achieve the anticipated accelerated development.

However certain projects were, implemented such as the Investment Promotion Zone in Katunayake. The establishment of the Urban Development Authority (UDA ) as a planning organization was also a direct outcome of the Colombo Master Plan. Although the concept of Kotte as an administrative capital and the establishment of Greater Colombo Economic Commission (G.C.E.C) in the north of Colombo were not part of the plan, they were implemented as special projects by the governments in early 1980s.

City of Colombo Development Plan - 1985

In 1985, a development plan was prepared for the city of Colombo. However, its focus largely centered on physical development, and it  no explicit attention to economic, environmental or other issues that were equally important in developing a comprehensive plan. As a result, the city of Colombo began to experience a multitude of problems. Some of these are related to inadequate infrastructure facilities; others to pollution, traffic congestion, urban environment, urban sprawl and inappropriate distribution of land in the city. Also it is envisaged that 50% of the city population are living in low income settlements consuming 11% of  the city land.

The City of Colombo Development Plan was prepared and gazetted by the UDA in 1985 and it represented a document that enabled the UDA to carry out zoning and building regulations.

A review of the urban development since the CMP reveals that there were no significant planned development except the implementation of few projects such as supreme courts complex, Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Parliament complex, Biyagama and Katunayake EPZ. The development that has taken place during the year 1980 -1990 has significantly changed the urban environment in and around Colombo. This development has brought positive changes such as economic diversification, new employment opportunities and better infrastructure facilities as well as negative outcomes such as environmental pollution and congestion.

The decision to prepare a Structure Plan for the Colombo Metropolitan Region has been greatly influenced by the changes during the late 1990. At the same time new development concepts in the planning field have emerged focusing more on the need to address the negative effects of development and environment. These concepts and techniques have been used in developing the planning framework of the Structure Plan.
 

CMR structure Plan -1996 – CMRSP

 In 1996, the government directed the UDA to revise the Colombo master plan of 1979.  The planning team realized that there is no point in revising the plan. The economic features and the urban fabric of Colombo have changed drastically, and therefore the updating of master plan was not pursued,  A decision to prepare a new structure plan covering the entire Western province including Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts.  Major component of CMRSP – sustainable development .  The planning team did an “Environmentally sensitive analysis” and they decided to preserve ecologically sensitive areas and environmentally not sensitive areas brought under planned development.  Another component Urban Hierarchy. Based on the hierarchical structure of services and population, the urban centers of Colombo area categorized  1^st order, to 4^th  order city centers.  The study on urban hierarchy helped to identify several urban agglomerations in different parts of the region.  The plan recognized that these urban agglomerations are useful areas to the growth center concept.  The identified growth centers are , Negombo, Gampaha,  Biyagama , Homagama , Horana.

 
City of Colombo Development Plan      – 1999

The previous1985 a development plan was prepared for the city of Colombo. However, its focus largely centered on physical development, and it paid no explicit attention to economic, environmental or other issues that were equally important in developing a comprehensive plan. As a result, the city of Colombo began to experience a multitude of problems. Some of these are related to inadequate infrastructure facilities; others to pollution, traffic congestion, urban environment, urban sprawl and inappropriate distribution of land in the city. Also it is envisaged that 50% of the city population are living in low income settlements consuming 11% of the city land.

As the planning issues in the city are complex, a comprehensive planning approach is essential, integrating all urban issues that are currently seen as well as those that are likely to emerge in the future. Such an approach is needed to prepare the city of Colombo to face the challenges in the next century.

The 1999 Development Plan has been developed to address these needs and to ensure a viable economy, supported by a more conducive and aesthetically friendly environment and much-improved quality of life in the 21st century.

It is felt that the existing area of the Colombo City alone is inadequate to cope up with the functional and spatial requirements to facilitate the needs to meet the challenges of the 21st century as a modern Capital City. Considering this an area was demarcated by including surrounding local authorities to form as one planning unit along with the city to function as the Core Area for Sri Lanka. The Core Area has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in July 1998 as the Capital Territory of the Country (zoning plan-1999) The land use zoning plan provide position, direction and guidance to where different development activities should take place.



 

City of Colombo Development Plan(Amendment)  - 2008

This plan may be cited as the City of Colombo Development Plan (Amendment) -2008, prepared under Section 8H and approved under Section 8F of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) Law No. 41 of 1978, with a view to promoting and regulating the integrated planning and physical development in the Colombo Development Area, declared under Gazette Notification No. 4/1 dated 30th September 1978, containing provisions in respect of the matters in the schedule to the Law, and shall come into operation on 6th February 2008.

In year 1999 CMC zoning plan, a prominent zone was a concentrated development zone and introduced a new Sea Front Zone and a guide plan for the fort area. The year 2008 plan added another development guide plan for the Independent Square area. The Public Open Spaces green development concept allows for all the development zones in the 2008 zoning plan. 
 
  As the planning issues in the city are complex, a comprehensive planning approach is essential, integrating all urban issues that are currently seen as well as those that are likely to emerge in the future. Such an approach is needed to prepare the city of Colombo to face the challenges in the next century.

City of Colombo Development Plan 2022–2031

The Colombo Municipal Council Development Plan for 2022-2031 is a detailed strategy aimed at achieving sustainable development in the Colombo Municipal Council area.