Urban Economics and Planning

Urban Economics and Planning

Formulation of Hamedan’s urban development vision for the 2045 horizon through a city development strategy (CDS) approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Department of Urbanism. South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Following the failure of traditional physical planning models in managing urban complexities, the CDS approach has been introduced as a new paradigm for achieving sustainability and improving governance. This study aims to rethink Hamedan’s planning system and articulate the strategic vision of this city for the 2045 horizon. Hamedan, despite its rich potential, is faced with challenges such as spatially imbalanced development, planning rigidity, and institutional discontinuities. This study, relying on a mixed approach, employed documentary analysis, in-depth interviews with experts, and a three-round Delphi technique (with a Kendall coefficient of 0.74). The findings led to the formulation of an optimal vision centered on the “university–tourism city” model, which connects Hamedan’s competitive advantages with the four main pillars of CDS. The results indicate that the realization of this vision requires: a. enhancing competitiveness through a knowledge-based economy and health tourism; b. increasing livability through the revitalization of the historic fabric and the eco-city model; c. improving financial sustainability through a bankability-oriented approach and the attraction of private investment; and d. establishing responsive governance to manage discursive conflicts. The innovation of the research is manifested at three levels: the indigenous modeling of CDS, the identification of institutional discontinuities through agonistic analysis, and the presentation of an operational framework for the transition from static comprehensive plans to dynamic strategic management. This strategic document, through identifying ecological and institutional risks, provides a roadmap for transforming Hamedan’s symbolic capitals into absolute economic and social advantages.
Keywords
Subjects

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Volume 7, Issue 7
In Process
October 2026
Pages 30-50

  • Receive Date 23 December 2025
  • Revise Date 04 January 2026
  • Accept Date 03 February 2026