Site Selection

Site Selection Avissawella central bus stand premises

A.S.S. Wijesinghe (142363R) Level IV, Semester VII Dep. Of Town and Country Planning

1. Introduction The site that selected for development project to give the benefits for the local community. This site about 2.1 Acres and there is no any detailed development plan and site belongs to Urban Development Authority (UDA) Sri Lanka. This land cover with central bus stand of Avissawella and parking space. Avissawella is an urban council area in Colombo District, Western province, Sri Lanka. The land value of the Avissawella town approximately Rs.250 000 per perch.

1.1.

Location of the site:

Figure 1- Location of the site

1.2.

Evolution of the Avissawella Town

During the period of Seethawaka kingdom, the area was first occupied by people. After British era there was an Avissawella town in near to Maniyangoda road. In red marks show the change of

the site during last two decades with the government’s development projects.

Figure 2- Evolution of the area 2001

Figure 3- Evolution of the area 2003

In 2003 the bus stand started to develop and above two figures show that.

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Figure 4- Evolution of the area 2007

Figure 5- Present Situation of the area (2018)

In 2007 bus stand development hand over to the community and until 2018 there are development in surrounding area. 2. Site Details 2.1. Surrounding Activitie All the long distance buses go across CTB bus stand and existing car park is behind this Bus stand. Ground floor and Upper floor of the Bus Stand have allocated for the commercial activities. People movements are functioning only within CTB bus stand and private bus stand premises. Also all the activities play their roles within 500m from the town center. Land use

Numb of units

Commercial

33

Residential

3

Bank and financing

8

Land uses within 500m from site Commercial

5% 6%

Residential Bank and financing

21%

Services

14

Foods and Bakery

3

Others

4

Table 1- Uses of buildings (500m radius)

51% 12%

Services Foods and Backery Others

5% Figure 6- Uses of Buildings (500m radius)

Ownership Ownership Private

51

Government

13

20% Private Government 80%

Table 2- ownership of building (500m) radius Figure 7- ownership of building (500m radius)

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2.2.

Road connection and pedestrian movements around the site

This site directly connect with the Colombo- Batticaloa highway and Avissawella bypass road. Long distance bus routes that connect Rathnapura and Badulla districts pass the Avissawella town through these two roads Consider about two main roads and Yatiyanthota road there is pedestrian movements with the vehicle movements. Pedestrian movements are higher in Yatiyanthota Road because education institutes and one school here. Less movements in Avissawella bypass road because bypass road have not any commercial or residential activities.

Figure 8- Road and pedestrian movements around the site

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3. Issues and Problems of the site  UDA owned land is at behind the bus stand and not open to Avissawella town. This land connect with the Avissawella bypass road but it is in upper than 5m from site. There are steps that irregular road for come down from bypass road.  Approximately 50% of bus stand upper floor is not functioning and people not used to go there because the entrances are not pleasant and safety to go.

 Backside of the Central bus stand also less functioning and only have parking facilities.  Bus stand use for the buses which are going around Avissawella area. Long distance buses come across this but not stay more than 3 minutes. Considering the number of buses and time that buses go, central bus stand receive more land than the service that it give.  Only one vegetable shop and fish shop is in the Avissawella Central bus stand area. And there is no more vegetable or fish market within the area for everybody.

Figure 9- Present situation in Conceptual map

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4.

Photographs of the site

Figure 11- Behind the CTB bus stand

Figure 13- Behind the CTB bus stand

Figure 10- Foot path that connect bypass and main road

Figure 12- Upper floor is not functioning

5. Potentials of the site  People who come to the town center by public or private vehicles, they fulfilled their needs within 500m from town center by walking. All needs are within walkable area.  Avissawella has CTB and private bus stand for proper transportation system.  This site is passing area for 122, 98, 99 routes and all the bus routes for Yatiyanthota and Kandy road.  Site is use by children, students, workers, bus drivers, adults, teenagers for various uses.  Bank facilities, government services centers are very near to this site.  Site belongs to Colombo district and Avissawella has upcoming development projects by UDA.

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6.

Why Avissawella need a development? Avissawella is one of the urban area that belongs to Colombo district. Colombo district go with the rapid development in every area. Colombo city center develop as commercial area and people move away from the city. Avissawella has that attraction because Avissawella has less land value than other area of Colombo district. Also natural setting and transportation facilities can develop this attraction more than now. With the development trend Avissawella is facing issues and problems.

Avissawella is becoming congested by pedestrians and vehicles

Solution for that UC proposed bypass road and now it functioning

Only buses use the bypass road and no pedestian movements

Solution is not enough to reduce the congetion and today also pedestrian movements are high in Main road

For pedestrian movements there is food path behind the bus stand. It is used by people who living in bypass road area. Considering above site details and activities this site area has attraction but it limited from the Central bus stand. Other main thing is, this is only area that touching Colombo Batticaloa Hwy and also Avissawella Bypass road directly as government property. This site can create connection between these two roads. Because of above issues and problems Avissawella Bus stand area want planning intervention for solve the above problems using potential and community perceptions. Also proposal should come with,  Functioning upper floor of the bus stand and bypass road  Regenerate the CTB bus stand compare with the number of buses  Prepare the place that user friendly and environment friendly for make image to Avissawella

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