Informal settlements in the urban periphery of metropolitan areas. The case of Soledad, Colombia

The urbanization of the city of Barranquilla (Colombia) increased informal human settlements in the urban periphery of the municipality of Soledad. This paper analyzes the growth of informal settlements in the urban periphery of the municipality and proposes strategic axes for the intervention of these communities through the articulation of the national policy for Comprehensive Neighborhood Improvement (MIB) and the Municipal Development Plan. It is based on a quantitative-qualitative methodology with a descriptive design supported by a documentary review and the use of GIS for the georeferencing of settlements. The results and discussions show that the growth of informal settlements has contributed to the high densification and excessive population growth in Soledad. Likewise, over the last 10 years, the self-construction of houses in invasions reduced in between 30-50% the vegetal cover and the deforestation in peripheral areas of the municipality.