Green Infrastructure Planning within Mixed Development Residential Neighborhoods of Nairobi: A Case Study of Tena Estate

Abstract

Green infrastructure is the connective matrices of green spaces that can be found in urban and urban-fringe landscapes. Despite its environmental, ecological, social, and economic benefits, there are specific problems with regard to the provision and sustenance of green infrastructure within urban residential neighbourhoods in Kenya. Majority of them suffer from gross inadequacy of green infrastructure. The objectives of this research were; to establish the status of green infrastructure development within Tena neighbourhood; to assess the institutional, resource, policy and regulatory capacity of the Nairobi City County Government of Nairobi in the provision of green infrastructure; to find out reasons for its apparent disregard by the County Government planning agency and the urban population. Consequently, the study proposes measures for adequate provision and sustainable management in residential neighbourhoods in the City of Nairobi. This research was done through a case study of Tena estate in Nairobi Eastlands zone. The research population included all the parcels within the zoned out study area of the estate. A multistage sampling method was used that involved first, cluster sampling, then systematic random sampling where 54 samples were obtained. A pilot study was conducted before the actual study. It was established that within the Tena neighbourhood, plots contribute barely to the green infrastructure network with only 21.7% of the plot open space areas being used for the installation of any kind of green material. The average plot greenness ratio was established to be 2.3%. The study also found out that the development control regulatory framework in Kenya does not adequately provide guidance on the development and sustenance of green infrastructure. This study proposes the establishment of landscape planning regulations for the development of sustainable neighbourhoods. Additionally, it proposes the exploration of private public partnerships in green infrastructure development and sustenance.