Regulatory frameworks for regularized settlements in global south countries: a review

Context and background Most of the regularised settlements in global south countries, Tanzania inclusive, experience regulatory challenges despite of the existence of regulations that regulate decision making in post-regularization. It has been observed that unregulated developments, encroachment of public and spaces, inaccessibility, incompatible land use and unregulated densities exist and continues in regularized settlements. There is insufficient knowledge on how regulatory frameworks regulate developments particularly on change of use, land subdivision and development in regularized settlements. Goal and Objectives: To explore how policies, regulations and planning standards regulate regularized settlements n global south countries. Methodology: The paper is based on a systematic review of published literature from online resources databases. These are Scopus, journal databases provided by the University such as Emerald Insights, Research for Life, Ebscohost and SAGE as well as government reports. About 32 relevant articles were used from the screening of articles through several steps using various criteria. No limitation of the time frame from 1990 to 2024 so as to capture more information concerning regulatory frameworks of regularized settlements in global south countries. Terms and concepts used were formed with the help of Boolean operators ‘AND’ OR’ parenthesis ( ) and “ “. These concepts include regularized settlements, regulatory framework and regulations. Results: Findings revealed regulatory gaps and challenges that contribute to unregulated land subdivision and land development. These are inadequate policies and regulations that regulating land transactions, control gentrification and land subdivisions. Weak enforcement of regulations has been observed. This results to lack of awareness and participation of regulations to various actors. incoherent regulations confusing land occupier to comply as they do not relate to their local contexts. It is difficult to enforce regulations which are not coherent and land occupier lack knowledge and awareness of existing regulations. In so doing, most of land occupiers engage on unlawful, land subdivision and land development and in the latter cause unregulated land subdivision and developments