Beyond greens: Urban development and green space availability in residential areas of Damascus

• Provides a comprehensive understanding of GS availability in Middle Eastern cities. • Green space in Middle Eastern cities shaped by urban history and political-economy. • Study identifies GS patterns in Damascus based on urban development context. • Disparity in GS distribution in residential areas reveals socio-spatial inequalities. • Multidisciplinary approaches needed to address GS disparities in Middle Eastern Cities. Green spaces (GS) promote positive people–place relationships, especially in residential areas. Availability of GS in Middle Eastern cities has been influenced by their unique political, socio-economic, cultural and environmental conditions. Despite this, research on GS availability in relation to city development context is still limited. This study examines the patterns of GS availability in Damascus’s residential areas and analyses its correlation with these areas’ development context. It classifies districts by urbanisation context and GS metrics, using content analysis, secondary data and NDVI analysis. Results showed that GS availability in Damascus is significantly influenced by urban history, geography and political-economic systems, underscoring current urban challenges faced by other major Middle Eastern cities. In Damascus, district groups were highly influenced by their historical background from the pre-mid-20th century and the political-economic system that developed later. The study revealed significant disparities between planned northern and western districts with better GS availability, and informal eastern and southern ones. These findings highlight the need for context-sensitive, multidisciplinary strategies to address GS disparities in Middle Eastern urban residential areas, including governance tools such as local GS councils and equity audits, to promote equitable access and strengthen people–place relationships.