A B S T R A C T
The rapid growth of the urban population and the continuous increase in the demand for equitable distribution and easy access to urban services constitute one of the fundamental challenges faced by urban managers and planners in developing countries, including Iran. This issue is of paramount importance. This study aims to assess the distribution of urban services in Saqqez in terms of spatial justice and accessibility. This research seeks to identify areas of inequality and imbalance in service provision across different parts of the city. The research methodology employed in this paper is a mixed-methods approach. The study population encompasses the urban area of Saqqez, and data were collected through both library research and field surveys. To determine the pattern of urban service distribution, the Nearest Neighbor Index was utilized, while network analysis and overlay analysis were employed to complete the analytical process and evaluate the city’s status in terms of access to public services. The findings indicate that Saqqez experiences spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of public services with respect to both the functional radius and coverage area. Significant portions of the urban area fall outside the optimal zones for accessing and delivering services. Neighborhoods adjacent to main thoroughfares and the city center enjoy optimal service access, whereas the eastern, northwestern, and southern neighborhoods suffer from inadequate or insufficient access. Overall, the results confirm that the service distribution pattern in Saqqez lacks the necessary efficiency and spatial justice, with peripheral neighborhoods faring significantly worse than central ones. Finally, the study provides policy and implementation recommendations to address these inequalities.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
The rapid growth of the urban population and the continuous increase in the need for fair distribution and easy access to urban services are undoubtedly of great importance; they are one of the fundamental challenges urban managers and planners in developing countries, including Iran, face. Currently, the urban development process in these countries is faced with imbalances and inconsistencies in providing services, population distribution, as well as disproportionate and irregular urban growth. The main attraction of a city is attributed to better jobs, more high-quality services, and a greener environment. In urban planning, these needs include all existing uses, including educational, health, medical, green space, sports, parking, residential, cultural, and religious uses, etc. In fact, they are services that meet the basic needs of the urban space. The instability that has been created due to this uneven growth has manifested itself in the form of social-spatial imbalances, which have manifestations such as a decrease in the quality of life, weak local governance, informal housing and employment, urban poverty, the problem of biological pollution, and unsustainable growth. In this regard, the issue of spatial justice is raised. Considering that one of the main goals of sustainable urban planning is to ensure, promote, and provide conditions for equal distribution of environmental, social, and economic resources among urban communities. This research aims to evaluate the distribution of urban services in terms of spatial justice and accessibility in Saqqez city. This research tries to identify inequality and imbalance in providing services in different areas of this city. The rapid expansion of the city of Saqqez and the need to access urban services have caused disharmony in the socio-spatial space of this city. This inconsistency is caused by factors such as the concentration of urban services in the central areas, poor design of urban plans, and non-local people's lack of knowledge of the city's structure. As a result, some areas have the best access to urban services, while peripheral areas with a high population and a long distance from the central core have a bad situation due to the lack of optimal access. This fact shows that we need to change the planning pattern.
 
Methodology
The research method used in this article is mixed. The statistical population is the area of Saqqez city, and the data are collected in both libraries and field ways. To determine the distribution pattern of urban services based on the neighborhood average index, complete the analysis process, and determine the state of the city in terms of access to public services, network and overlap analysis has also been used.
 
Results and discussion
Saqqez, an ancient city with a history of thousands of years, has become an urban center due to its convenient location and trade routes. However, the lack of codified planning and transparency in the city, as well as the participation of tribes in important decisions, have led to inequalities and problems such as the polarization of wealth and poverty. The rapid urban population growth without proper monitoring and planning has created new challenges for the city. Management weaknesses, including the lack of urban planning specialists, have caused uneven development and negative consequences. The unbalanced distribution of urban services and concentration in central areas has led to a lack of knowledge and expertise in the optimal location of urban services. Access to urban facilities is also a problem, as limited services are not equitably distributed in different areas and neighborhoods due to diverse demographic factors and distance from the city's central core. Unprofessional and irresponsible actions have increased the gap between regions and localities, and as a result, non-observance of the principles of urban planning and lack of principled order in urban design.
The results and inferences of the research show that the distribution of services in the city of Saqqez is unstable and uneven and is done in the form of clusters; in addition, during the questionnaire that was distributed among the citizens, as well as the access maps using network analysis, the results confirm that between the regions and neighborhoods of the city, there are many inequalities and gaps, among the most important neighborhoods in need of urban services, we can mention the neighborhoods of Taze Abad, Qokh, Malqarni, Sarchenar, Jaqel, Golan, Saleh Abad, and Karagran, which should receive more attention from city officials and managers.
 
Conclusion
This research focuses on the distribution of urban services in Saqqez city. The growth of the city's population has highlighted the need for optimal distribution of services and proper access. This study shows that the distribution of urban services is uneven and concentrated in certain areas, which leads to unfair access and inequality. The study also found that peripheral neighborhoods are in a disadvantageous situation compared to central neighborhoods, which is exacerbated by distance from the city center and main roads. The use of geographic information systems and network analysis can help manage urban areas more effectively and improve the quality of life for all city residents.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.