Suitable site selection by using a multiple criteria decision making method for urban development areas- case study in Antalya

Rapid population growth and migration increase the demand for new residential areas in cities. Increasing demand causes destruction of natural areas and unhealthy urban areas. Therefore, site selection for urban development areas is an important study topic and it is a process that requires to evaluate environmental, physical, social and economicmany factors together. In this study, it is aimed to determine suitable areas for urban development areas by using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methods by using remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) data. As the study area, the central districts (Aksu, Döşemealtı, Kepez, Konyaaltı, Muratpaşa) where urban development is most frequently observed within the boundaries of Antalya and Serik district were chosen. In this study, 18 criteria have been determined under the headings of natural and cultural characters preserved area data, geological and geomorphological data, socio-economic data and artificial boundaries data and then suitable areas for urban development were determined. As a result of the study, it was determined that 5.27% of the study area is high suitable for urban development. The results show that the suitable areas for urban development can be identified quickly and accurately using the proposed criteria, GIS and MCDA.