Industrial parks or zones, industrial estates, and free trade zones have been at the forefront of global neoliberal economic development since the 1970s. Though conflict and occupation are hardly conducive environments to economic development, these areas have crept through the development world and have unexpectedly found a place in Palestine. The establishment of these areas in Palestine has been part of a wider shift in developmental strategy.

The establishment of industrial parks throughout Palestine has been one of the most important economic ventures promoted by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the past decades “as a driving force to attract investments in order to revive and develop the Palestinian economy.” In addition, these parks have certain impacts on urban development and spatial planning in Palestine as they are developed or geographically based nearby urban centers (cities, towns and villages) in various regions or the so-called "governorates". Moreover, to certain extent, these parks were developed without being integrated with the regional and local plans.

This paper will investigate the impacts of industrial parks on urban development and spatial in Palestine, with emphasis on the appropriate planning policies and strategies to integrate these parks within its environs.

Key words: urban development, spatial planning, industrial parks, regional and local plans,  planning policies & strategies.

Conference Title

International Conference on Development Zone Transformation & City Innovation

Conference Country

China

Conference Date

Nov. 15, 2019 - Nov. 17, 2019

Conference Sponsor

Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu