Zmiany zagospodarowania przestrzennego na obszarze dzielnicy Straconka (miasto Bielsko-Biała) w latach 1998-2022

Land-use change analysis is a key tool for studying the effects of planning and economic-political decisions on land-use. The aim of this study was to identify land-use changes in the Straconka district of Bielsko-Biała (southern Poland) using GIS tools. Historical and contemporary orthophotomaps of study area were analysed. Five land use classes were included: roads, loose buildings, compact buildings, green areas, forest areas. The significant changes in the urbanisation of the once typical village, now an integral district of the city of Bielsko-Biała, were demonstrated. In the period from 1998 to 2022, the area of compact development has clearly increased - from 23.2 to 31.2%. A consequence of the urbanisation development was also an increase in the length of hardened traffic routes - from 21.7 to 35.3 km. Due to the densification of development, the proportion of the area occupied by loose housing decreased. Urbanisation has also resulted in a reduction in the area of green spaces - from 27.4 to 14.6%. These were used as meadows for livestock feed. At present, with few exceptions, they are not used for agriculture. They are often areas of a recreational nature, but are just as often subject to uncontrolled forest succession. Forest areas have slightly increased their share in the spatial development structure of the district - from 46 to 49%. This is the result of both forest recovery and deliberate forest cultivation.