LANDUSE CHARACTERISTICS OF AUTOMOBILE WORKSHOPS IN LAGOS METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

This paper evaluates the landuse characteristics of automobile workshops in Lagos Metropolis with a view to proffering recommendations that will aid the control of automobile workshops in the study area and similar urban centres in the country. To achieve this, a total survey of the formal workshops in the metropolis was done, while 389 informal workshops located on both sides of purposively selected roads in the metropolis were sampled. Further, a 300-meter radius was delineated around each sampled automobile workshop for landuse characterization.  Percentages, Analysis of variance, and query function of the Geographic Information System were used to investigate the landuse characteristics of the automobile workshops. The study discovered that automobile workshops in Lagos metropolis are located in dense residential areas, though formal automobile workshops tend to locate in denser neigbhourhoods than informal ones. These workshops are situated on an average area of 6636 square meters with about 70% of the land area developed. However, workshops do not comply with spatial planning standards, especially road setbacks. It is therefore recommended that mass awareness and effective development control be put in place by officials of Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.