Neighborhood units and transit-oriented development approaches in the context of urban accessibility; example city of Antalya

Although the concepts of neighborhood unit and transit-oriented development (development around public transport hubs) are vital concepts for sustainable urban development, there are deficiencies and inadequacies in the implementation of these approaches in cities. Inadequate implementation of these approaches has led to uneven and distorted urban development, especially in terms of public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian accessibility. The inadequacy of public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian-oriented planning causes the attractiveness of individual automobile use in transportation to increase day by day, which gradually reduces the opportunities and capabilities of individuals living in cities to live in a healthy and quality environment in the context of issues such as inactivity, air pollution, carbon emissions, global climate change, etc. Therefore, the main motivation of this study is to reveal how the concepts of neighborhood unit and transit-oriented development in the context of urban accessibility can be designed in terms of sustainable urban development and to contribute to researchers and decision makers working on this issue. In this context, a detailed literature review was conducted in three main areas: urban accessibility, transit-oriented development and neighborhood unit. The knowledge gained from the literature research has been used to mature the planning approaches proposed for the study areas. Antalya city as a whole at the upper scale and Konyaaltı, Uncalı neighborhood at the lower scale were selected as the study area. In the study areas, the main problems and potentials were identified by conducting SWOT analyses in the context of neighborhood unit and TOD approaches. The recommendations developed on the basis of literature research and SWOT analyses are presented in the form of conceptual schemes and supported by detailed explanations to guide urban planners, researchers and decision makers working on these and similar issues. The conceptual schemes and recommendations developed in the study areas in the context of neighborhood unit and TOD approaches have the potential to make a significant contribution to urban planners, researchers and decision makers working on these and similar issues, as they offer a planning approach that is not taken into account in the current planning processes of many cities, but which, if implemented, can significantly improve the public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian accessibility of the city.