Land-use planning between master plans and reality: analysing land-use transformation and urban planning challenges in Samarra District, Iraq

The main purpose of this study is to analyse current land uses in Samarra (Salahuddin Governorate, Iraq) according to the zoning criteria, to identify the changes that occurred in the 2010–2025 master plan and to pinpoint violations in land uses such as type, area and percentage of illegal uses. The GIS analysis finds that residential use dominates Samarra (37.4 per cent), agricultural use in the master plan has shifted to residential, and congestion has worsened because of a lack of parking spaces (0.1 per cent). Recommendations prioritise strategic expansion in the north-east, redevelopment of slums, and improvement of tourism infrastructure to support sustainable growth.