Land use changes in the rural-urban fringe of Kecskemét after the economic transition

This paper examines the land use changes of the Hungarian rural-urban fringes after the economic transition through the case study of Kecskemét. After describing the basic characteristics of the rural-urban fringe, the authors distinguish five important factors specific to Hungary, which influenced the ongoing processes of the fringe. These factors are the restructuring of the land ownership rights, the role of the municipalities as land-owners, the privatization of the hobby gardens, the decreasing role of agriculture and the local residents’ alienation from the rural traditions. The case study, Kecskemét’s historical heritage as a former oppidum with a well-developed tanya network led to the formation of a special relationship between the countryside and the city and is still influencing the development of the fringe. After the economic transition, the new processes appeared in four phases in the rural-urban fringe of Kecskemét. The expansion of the retail stores, upper class migrants, transportation network and greenfield industrial investments affected each part of the fringe differently. In the northern part of the fringe traditional landscape and land use remained dominant, while in the western part of the fringe, more radical changes occurred, and resulted in chaotic land use. The transformation of the rural-urban fringe in Kecskemét has not ended yet. To lessen the negative effects, stronger community control and more consequent regulations are needed in the future