Mixed-Use Development and Neighbourhood Satisfaction in a Rapidly Urbanising African City: Evidence from Accra, Ghana

Mixed-use development (MUD) is increasingly shaping urbanisation trajectories in rapidly growing cities in the Global South; however, its drivers and implications for neighbourhood liveability remain unclear. This study examines the extent, characteristics, and determinants of MUDs in Accra, focusing on how market-driven processes and governance constraints interact to produce differentiated neighbourhood outcomes. A mixed-methods design integrates multi-temporal land-cover analysis (1990–2024) with a household survey (N = 617) conducted in East Legon and Madina. The results show that built-up areas expanded by over 90% in both neighbourhoods with a near-complete conversion of non-built-up land, indicating that mixed-use urbanisation is now structurally embedded in Accra’s urban form. This transformation is mainly driven by market forces, encompassing investment dynamics, infrastructure development, and economic expansion, while formal planning has minimal impact. Notwithstanding weak regulatory controls, residents report relatively high neighbourhood satisfaction (mean = 7.83). Regression analysis (R² = 0.673) identifies neighbourhood reputation, aesthetic quality, and perceived safety as key positive determinants of satisfaction, while noise and pollution have substantial negative impacts. Furthermore, the interaction effects illustrate that neighbourhood attributes work synergistically to shape liveability outcomes, rather than functioning independently. The study contributes to debates on market-led urbanisation, governance fragmentation, and the production of living standards in African cities. It suggests that rather than constraining MUD, policy should strategically engage existing urban processes through environmental upgrading, tenure reform, and participatory planning to enhance urban liveability outcomes.