Predicting Microscale Land Use/Land Cover Changes Using Cellular Automata Algorithm on the Northwest Coast of Peninsular Malaysia

The increasing intervention from high-rise infrastructural development in the urban fabric threatens the land use/land cover (LULC) of the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Predicting future scenarios of LULC on a microscale level can help to curb rapid urbanization in Malaysia and promote sustainability. This study aims to appraise the ability of the Support Vector Machine and Cellular Automata (CA) algorithms to monitor (2005–2020) and predict (2025 and 2035) the future LULC change in Penang, Malaysia. Landsat images were used to estimate LULC classes, and Pearson chi-square values were calculated to validate the CA model. The results revealed that Penang had experienced a significant increase in built-up areas by 15.56%, resulting from the declination of the forest by 5.57%, agricultural land by 8.41% and waterbody by 1.58% between 2005 and 2020. The predicted LULC result suggests that approximately 4.68% of agricultural land, 2.77% of the forest, and 1.03% of the water bodies will transform into built-up lands by 2035. The study signifies the urgent control of urban growth patterns and assists urban planners and policymakers of Malaysian cities in ensuring sustainable urban development.