ABSTRACT
The rapid population growth of urban centres has resulted in spatial expansion of the centres resulting in the loss of surrounding land. This is threatening the existence of rural settlements in the immediate urban surroundings. This sometimes results in the settlements being engulfed and exist as poorly structured habitations within the urban area, lacking in most if not all facilities, utilities and services and generating hostile official attitudes from the planning authorities. This is a study of encroachment of Zaria suburban settlement both within and around Zaria urban area with a view to making recommendations and proposals for the development of such rural settlements, riculture is still the mainstay of the rural settlements studied. Other non-agricultural occupation such as night watchmen, nail cutters, trading and messengers in the civil services are gaining importance. There also exist a very strong relationship between accessibility and interaction with the urban centre. Work and trading trips are the greatest reasons for interaction between the villages and Zaria. Land is held mainly through customary title and is largely acquired through inheritance. Land use within the settlements is also found to be still largely rural with residential and agricultural land use dominating. However, there are indiecations that, the urban landuses are being acquired. The main elements of the settlements are seen to be the village heads, compound, open space: and dwelling units. Circulation is mainly organic as the growth of the settlements. The traditional structure has substantially been disrupted in some settlements owing to the encroachment of Zaria. The socio-cultural characteristics indicate a high degree of ethnic heterogeniety with some migrant population. Most glaring however is the effect of urban growth on the encroached rural settlements, rapid changes are observed to have and are occuring within these settlements and the communities. Changes in the landuse structure organisation and social structure and even production and consumption patterns. The rural settlements both within and around Zaria are found to be excluded from the planning process of the urban centre and a few strategies are considered for the development of the settlements. Proposals are selected to intergrate and protect the settlements so that the settlements are able to eventually become part of the urban fabric. The merger and special zone strategies are applied to achieve this and policy recommendations are made with a view to providing necessary climate to accommodate the proposals.