ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces an innovative methodical design for a multicriteria assessment (MCA) of the socio-environmental impacts of new infill development compared to suburban especially Greenfield development. It presents an integrative multicriteria assessment scheme which can be applied by both urban planners and scientists. As urban policy makers aim to attract more residents in order to offset the decreasing population numbers, cities are under ongoing development pressure. A multicriteria assessment allows the integration of manifold aspects of a problem and considers conflicts of interest of different stakeholders within a planning process. As discussed In Sophie Schetke 2010 and Schetke, Theo Haase, Breuste 2010, during the development special emphasis was put on the question of green spaces and structures which might be modified by processes of suburbanisation and infill development. The overall impact assessment of settlement growth throughout all scenarios based on the urban structure types of detached, semi-detached and row-houses is very heterogeneous and dependent on the means of settlement growth.
