Dissecting multidimensional morphology of urban sprawl: Framework for policy intervention

Urban sprawl is a major challenge to sustainability, yet it remains the prevalent form of urban growth globally. Traditional management strategies have been ineffective due to a siloed approach often neglecting the multidimensional complexity of urban sprawl morphology. This study bridges the gap by identifying the multidimensional features of urban sprawl morphology at city and neighbourhood levels and mapping these features to existing planning policies. The findings reveal strong linkages between city and neighbourhood morphological traits and highlight discrepancies in how current policies address urban sprawl, such as spatial development of greenfield, brownfield, infill development, pedestrian-friendly street design, adaptive reuse policy and chrono urbanism. The proposed framework advocates for coordinated multidimensional policy interventions promoting compact, polycentric cities with mixed land use and reduced car dependence. This integrated approach is crucial for developing targeted strategies to mitigate urban sprawl and foster sustainable urban development. • Multidimensional features of urban sprawl morphology were identified. • Morphological interlinkage was explored between two scale hierarchies. • A conceptual framework is formulated for morphology-based urban sprawl management. • Integrated policy interventions are required for holistic urban sprawl management.