In recent decades a significant part of the land use changes caused by the population expansion in Turkish cities has not followed an urban development plan but was rather driven by unlicensed build- ing activities. 5 As an example, the built-up area in the province of Istanbul increased by more than 40% between 1990 and 2005. New settlements were typically erected on public land near water bodies and in areas that had been made more accessible by new trans- portation routes like the Transit European Motorway, the E-5 and the second Bosphorus Bridge. 6 This rapid urban growth makes it difficult to ensure.
