@article {102753,
	title = {Multi-Criteria Evaluation of Land Suitability for Urban Extension Areas Identified in the PDAU of Setif City Using GIS and AHP},
	journal = {International Journal of Geoinformatics},
	volume = {21},
	number = {11},
	year = {2025},
	abstract = {
	Urban planning plays a critical role in sustainable city development by guiding urban expansion efficiently. In Algeria, the master plan for development and urban planning (PDAU) designates specific areas for city growth, yet the suitability of these areasfor urban extension often remains unassessed using systematic methods. Most PDAU, including the plan for Setif City established in 2016, rely on planning approaches and data that risk becoming outdated due to rapid urban changes and evolving spatial dynamics. As a result, there is a pressing need to critically assess and validate these designated extension zones using updated, objective analytical tools. This study addresses this gap by applying an integrated approach combining Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate land suitability for urban extension in Setif City. Fifteen socio-economic, physical, environmental, and accessibility criteria were applied to assess areas designated in the PDAU. The methodology enables a multi-criteria, data-driven analysis to prioritize zones for sustainable urban growth. About 21.5\% of the study area is categorized as very high suitability, and most of these sites are concentrated around the edges of the city.36.7\% is classified as high suitability, according to the suitability analysis for future urban expansion. Moderately and poorly suitable areas make up 23.79\% and 13\% of the total. Merely 5\% of the land is deemed to be extremely unsuitable for the extension. The findings support evidence-based urban planning, offering actionable insights for policymakers and urban planners. This study contributes methodologically by demonstrating the effective integration of AHP with GIS in an Algerian context, encouraging replication and further research in similar urban environments.

},
	url = {International Journal of Geoinformatics},
	author = {Khelili, Mohammed and Anoune, N and Cherif HAOUES and Khedidja, Abdelhamid and Drifi, N and Chorfi, K}
}
