Living on the Edge: Comparing the Quality of Life Transformation of Local Communities Induced by New Town Development in Different Peri-Urban Areas

Abstract

Peri-urban development has both potential and consequences. It has consequences in terms of changes in the condition of livelihood assets and quality of life (QoL) of local communities, while it has benefits because it generates new urban activities. In theory, these impacts vary in significance for peri-urban with diverse characteristics. Therefore, this research aims to investigate and compare the impact of new town development on local communities in various peri-urban areas. Ample attention is given to two new town development projects: Metro Tanjung Bunga (MTB) in a coastal area and Kota Baru Parahyangan (KBP) in an inland area of Indonesia. There were 150 respondents involved from 13 kampungs (enclaves). The research begins with a qualitative descriptive analysis to determine the impact of development and continues with a t-test to validate and compare the magnitude of the impact in the two peri-urban areas. The findings show that the development of the new towns has resulted in a decrease in livelihood assets and community QoL levels. An intriguing finding also demonstrates that the two peri-urban areas have significantly different development impacts: coastal peri-urban communities experienced a more significant decrease in QoL than non-coastal peri-urban communities. This research would enrich the discussions about peri-urban transformation, effects of the process on local communities and sustainability of these effects in developing countries.