Evolution of Urban forms in Port Harcourt Metropolis

The nature of urban development in Port Harcourt Metropolis makes for the study of urban evolution dynamics across the metropolis. Land-Sat Tm of 30m x 30m of 1986, 2000 and 2015 were employed to examine the changes in urban development across the study area. The direction of urban growth as revealed by the image analysis was digitized in the Arc GIS 10.4 environment. Findings revealed that, the morphology of the city is in the form of a non-regular polygon. The analysis also reveals that, there is an increase in the growth of the city from 1986 through 2000 and, then 2015. The growth direction of the city grew more north-ward rather than south-ward. The growth in the city population and the expansion of networks of roads, resulted in the transformation of the city form, and as development evolved, industrial locations were now focused in the Northern fringe of the city occupying extensive land areas which gave rise to other micro industrial and residential buildings extending northward hence, the visible level of anthropogenic activities or alterations. The study therefore recommends that, geographical boundaries should be given great emphasis by planning authorities in plan preparation in other to accommodate developmental growth and expansions.