Partial Land-Use Plan for La Alborada Third Stage, Guayaquil: A Sustainable Response to Socio-Environmental Vulnerability

Abstract

This territorial diagnosis was conducted with the objective of obtaining comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of the study area (La Alborada Third Stage), providing the technical foundation necessary for territorial management and local development planning. The analysis is based on the need to identify problems, risks, and potentialities affecting the current dynamics of the territory, as well as opportunities for transformation.

The general objective is to describe the current condition of the territory through the examination of five territorial subsystems: biophysical-environmental, human settlements, socioeconomic, infrastructure and services, and institutional management. The methodology follows a mixed qualitative–quantitative approach that combines statistical analysis, thematic mapping, and GIS tools, along with regulatory review, institutional analysis, and local opinion collection.

Key findings highlight challenges such as widespread urban expansion, inequality in access to basic services, environmental vulnerability, and urban fragmentation, as well as potential opportunities arising from planned integrations, development of public facilities, and strengthening of local governance.

Overall, this diagnosis represents a significant contribution to the formulation of the Partial Plan and the definition of the desired territorial model, providing technical criteria to guide spatial development policies, public investment, and sustainable land-use planning.