SITE & SITUATION OF SETTLEMENTS Two key factors are important for where a Settlement will be located: SITE SITUATION is the physical landscape a settlement is built on is the settlement location relative to the surrounding area *SITE WET POINT SITES water supply is a key factor; many settlements grew up near a river or spring. Early villages located at springs at base of escarpments (e.g. Salisbury Plain) or where simple wells could be constructed (e.g. Desert Oasis) DRY POINT SITES are found on areas of higher land away from marshy areas or areas prone to flooding (e.g. Ely Cambridgeshire) DEFENCE originated on higher land which gave a good view in case of attack (e.g. Edinburgh). These sites also found on meanders in rivers which form a natural barrier (e.g. Durham) BUILDING MATERIALS / FUEL SUPPLY were heavy and bulky to transport so villages grew up where wood or stone available. Wood also important for fuel (e.g. Forest of Dean) GOOD FARMING LAND was essential to produce food (although ideal location would be suitable for growing food and rearing animals). Many villages grew up on fertile lowlands (e.g. Vale of Evesham) ACCESSIBILITY & COMMUNICATION were essential villages grew up at bridging points (e.g. Oxford) crossroads/route centres (e.g. Paris) and gaps between hills (e.g. Dorking) SHELTER & ASPECT in GB a south-facing slope is protected from cold northerly winds and gains max. benefit from sun s warmth (e.g. Torquay) These site factors are no longer as important as they used to be (POLITICAL and ECONOMIC factors important). Most factors can be got round with the aid of modern technology e.g. LAS VEGAS built in middle of desert, everything transported in! *SITUATION a settlement with good access to natural resources and to other settlements will grow in size. Settlements with the best situations grow into cities SETTLEMENT
PATTERNS As Settlements grow they develop distinctive shapes and patterns. Settlements may contain a mixture of these patterns. Linear Nucleated Dispersed Planned buildings along a communication line; river, road buildings grouped together, initially for defense, later for social and economic reasons buildings are spread apart from communication link and each other e.g. Milton Keynes settlements on newly reclaimed or developed land
SETTLEMENT IN MEDCs URBAN: PARIS PARIS: SITE & SITUATION Paris Population Established Capital of France Approx 10million 3 rd Century BC SITUATION Paris is a focus of roads throughout France and Europe SITUATION International Airports provide global links SITUATION Paris is a centre of European rail networks SITE Fertile soil of River Seine s floodplain was excellent for farming SITE Site was also good for defence and also as a key river crossing point SITE Forest provided fuel and building materials SITE Settlement first began on a small island in River Seine SITE River Seine provided water supply
SETTLEMENT IN MEDCs RURAL: WARKWORTH, NORTHUMBERLAND (UK) Warkworth never grew into a city despite many site advantages SITE River may be used for transport Relief firm, flat land easy to build on Dry Point Site Good farming land nearby River provides water supply River also provides defence on 3 sides and can be bridged easily Forest and Rock outcrops nearby provide building materials SITUATION Warkworth has never grown into a large town Original advantages not important today Services and links to these services are not readily available here
SETTLEMENT IN LEDCs RIO DE JANEIRO - BRAZIL RIO: SITE & SITUATION The world s fastest growing cities are presently in L.E.D.Cs Growth of cities in South America is the result of Rural-Urban Migration Rio de Janeiro Population 3 rd Largest City in Brazil Situated around the huge natural harbour of Guanabara Bay Approx 12million CBD Luxury Apartments Old inner suburbs Newer outer suburbs Urban-rural fringe Too steep for settlement Favelas Low-quality local authority (conjuntos habitaçionais) CBD Luxury Apartments Favelas (Newer Outer Suburbs) Favelas (Older Inner Suburbs) focused in old, historical part of the city many shops, offices and company HQs problems of crime, pollution, congestion though still a vibrant place to be close to city centre where people work fantastic views over bay rich beginning to move to new towns on outskirts (Barra da Tijuca) which are safer, quieter, less polluted poor people move from the countryside but as there are no homes they build their own from whatever material they can find shanty towns built on steep slopes where floods and landslides may occur built 40-50 years ago, found closer to city centre improved homes, replacing shacks with brick houses have become towns in their own rights with approx. 100 000 inhabitants these areas are located close to the factories where people work PROBLEMS WITHIN RIO DE JANEIRO Housing Crime Traffic Pollution Estimated 1million homeless 1million live in Favelas and another 1million in poor quality housing Rio is notorious for use of drugs, violence Many residents leaving and moving to suburbs Mountains hem traffic along a limited number of routes Severe congestion An industrial haze, intensified by traffic fumes, hangs over the bay Rubbish, sewage etc often not collected in Favelas (has led to outbreaks of cholera)
SETTLEMENT IN LEDCs JAKARTA - INDONESIA Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, has grown rapidly since the 1950s It is now the largest city in South-East Asia population 14 million Growth of Jakarta is mainly a result of Rural Urban migration caused by a shortage of land in the countryside, and the possibility of paid work in the city. As an LEDC city, Jakarta contains everything from shiny new apartment blocks to squalid shanty towns PROBLEMS Unemployment and Poverty Housing Services Traffic large numbers of migrants to Jakarta are unable to find regular jobs. The jobs that are available are often low paid and dangerous shortage of cheap housing means many migrants live in appalling conditions in Jakarta s shanty towns basic services are in short supply. Many people have no running water and must pump water by hand. There is no mains sewage system so human waste is removed by special lorries, if at all congestion is becoming worse as the number of cars, lorries and autotaxis increase SOLUTIONS Transnational Companies New Towns Shanty Towns Self-Help Schemes Water Supplies Road Congestion Railway Network have been encouraged to provide jobs have been built on the city outskirts to provide more housing have been destroyed and apartment blocks built in their place have helped the poorest people to build their own homes are being improved is being tackled by building large flyovers throughout the city is being improved
SETTLEMENT HIERARCHY The Settlement Hierarchy model shows the rank order of settlements a pattern which is generally true though there are some exceptions e.g. a city smaller than a large town Settlements are ranked by Population Size (no. of services and distance apart also important) As settlement size increases, the number decreases so there are many villages but few conurbations *A Conurbation is at the top of the hierarchy because it has a high population, a large range and number of services and will be a long distance from other Conurbations *An Isolated Dwelling is at the bottom of the hierarchy because it only has a few people living there, possibly no services, and it is likely to be close to other isolated dwellings THE NUMBER OF SERVICES PROVIDED IN A SETTLEMENT INCREASES WITH SETTLEMENT SIZE. Hierarchy of Settlements according to Services Hamlet Village Small Town Large Town City Conurbation / Capital Perhaps none, or public telephone Church, Post Office, Public House, Shops for Daily goods, Small Junior School, Village Hall Town Hall, Doctor, Several Churches / Chapels, Cafes and Restaurants, Small Secondary School, Railway Station, Several Shops Several shopping areas / arcades, Hypermarket, Railway Station, Bus Station, Hotels, Banks, Small Hospital, Small Football Team Large Railway Station, Large Shopping Complex, Cathedral, Opticians and Jewellers, Large Hospital, Large Football Team, University, Theatre, County Hall, Airport Cathedrals, Government Buildings, Banking HQ, Railway Termini, Museums and Art Galleries, Large Theatre, Shopping Centre, Several Universities, International Airport Large places provide HIGH and LOW order goods and services Small places provide LOW order goods and services e.g. Furniture stores, Theatres which a high number of people will use e.g. A local newsagents which a lower number of people will use
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE (also Urban Field, Catchment Area, Market Area and Hinterland) It is the area served by the goods, services, administration and employment of a settlement Range Threshold is the maximum distance people are prepared to travel to use a service * Goods bought frequently are called convenience goods weekly shopping people only travel short distances * Goods bought infrequently are called comparison goods furniture people travel greater distances is minimum number of people needed to support a service * Shops selling convenience goods have low threshold populations * Shops selling comparison goods have high threshold populations Village shop 300 Doctor 2 500 Secondary School 10 000 Shoe shop 25 000 Large supermarket 50 000 Department store 100 000 Diagram of the Sphere of Influence of EXETER A Sphere of Influence Model
THE FUNCTION OF SETTLEMENTS On a basic level Settlement function can be described as: Residential; Administrative; Industrial; Commercial and Services *The function of a Settlement is its social and economic activities* Most cities have more than one function: RETAIL when a settlement is the main shopping centre. These settlements are easily accessible INDUSTRIAL TOWN or CITY where manufacturing is the main employer. Many industrial towns are associated with a particular industry because of the availability of natural resources (e.g. Sheffield steel industry) PORTS are vital to international trade, particularly important in 18 th and 19 th centuries. Liverpool and Bristol still important because of this CULTURAL CENTRES & UNIVERSITY TOWNS such as Oxford have a reputation for cultural or educational service RESORTS are holiday centres usually on the coast (e.g. Bournemouth, Brighton). Such places need facilities to cope with high numbers of temporary residents, though the permanent resident population might be small ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRES such as county towns, employ a high number of civil servants and are the centres of local government TYPE OF FUNCTION DESCRIPTION UK EXAMPLE WORLD EXAMPLE MARKET TOWN Originally collecting and distributing centers for surrounding farming area. Today they may service and process agricultural machinery and produce YORK Winnipeg MINING Developed to exploit local mineral or fuels CORBY Prudhoe Bay INDUSTRIAL- Where raw materials are processed into BIRMINGHAM Pittsburgh MANUFACTURING manufactured goods PORTS Located on coasts, rivers and lakes for the movement of goods and people from land to sea, or vice versa SOUTHAMPTON Thunder Bay ROUTE CENTRES At the convergence of several natural routes or at CARLISLE Paris nodal points (where communication links meet) resulting from economic development COMMERCIAL Providing the needs of industry and business LONDON Hong Kong CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS Attracting people, perhaps for a short period, for educational and religious purposes CAMBRIDGE ADMINISTRATIVE Developed to control areas which may vary from a EXETER Brasilia small region (County Town) to a country (Capital City) RESIDENTIAL Where the majority of residents live but do not TELFORD Marne-La-Vallee work TOURIST RESORTS Include spa towns, coastal and mountain resorts BATH Orlando Rome
Settlement function can CHANGE over time INDUSTRIAL CHANGE decline of manufacturing industry (e.g. Sheffield) because of cheaper goods being imported old retail centres decline due to the growing number of Out Of Town retail parks and supermarkets CHANGE IN PLANNING POLICY environmental policy has encouraged development of Brownfield sites previous sites of industry that are now derelict and disused (e.g. redevelopment of Liverpool Docks) SOCIAL CHANGE increased wealth and travel has meant a decline in tourism in some places (e.g. Morecambe GB) and increase in tourism in other places (e.g. former fishing villages in Spain)
URBAN LAND USE IN MEDCs Two Models were suggested to represent Urban Land Use in MEDCs: The CONCENTRIC ZONE MODEL (Burgess) says that the centre is the oldest part of the city and building spreads out from the middle, which means the newest parts of the city will be on the edge THE SECTOR MODEL (Hoyt) expanded this idea to take into account industrial development along main routeways (roads, rail links) out of the city The Zones in each model have FUNCTIONS 1. Central Business District the commercial centre. It has shops, offices and transport routes meet here, there are also high land values 2. Zone of Transition / is the area of wholesale manufacturing. It is a mix of poorer quality Wholesale Light Manufacturing housing and old industrial buildings which are often run down. This is often being redeveloped (Gentrified where old apartment blocks are done-up! ) 3. Low-Quality Residential old terraced housing and blocks of flats 4. Medium-Quality Residential renovated terraced houses and older semi-detached houses 5. High-Quality Residential modern estates of semi-detached and detached houses on the city outskirts (suburbs / dormitory villages where land is cheaper). People who live in the country and work in the city These models are not true of every city and some cities display characteristics of both models This diagram shows a cross-section through the Burgess Zone Model
URBANISATION IN MEDCs Urbanisation is an increase in the percentage of people living in cities Urban Growth is the expansion of cities into the surrounding area * Urbanisation began in MEDCs as a result of the Industrial Revolution during the 19 th century * People migrated from the countryside to towns looking for work in factories * Terraced houses were built to accommodate workers * Over time, towns expanded to become cities * During the 20 th century, shops and offices replaced factories in the city centre to form a CBD * Today around 70% of people in MEDCs live in urban areas (INNER CITY DECLINE) Urbanisation affects RURAL and URBAN areas of a Country Problems for the COUNTRYSIDE -little rural investment -ageing population as young move out -fewer extended families changing social trends -continued poverty -continued reliance on agriculture -economic stagnation Problems for the CITY -overcrowding -shortage of housing and jobs -spontaneous settlements e.g. shanty town -young population (high birth rate rapid increase) -sanitation and transport systems cannot cope with increased population URBANISATION IN LEDCs Urbanisation is an increase in the percentage of people living in cities Urban Growth is the expansion of cities into the surrounding area 3 MAIN CAUSES OF URBANISATION IN LEDCs 1. Rural-Urban Migration has increased the relative proportion of people living in cities Rural PUSH Factors -drought -overgrazing by farm animals: (soil erosion) -remoteness: lack of services -pests eat crops and cause ill health -farm machinery replaces workers; (unemployment) -large families; not enough land for heirs -poor seed; poor tools; little fertiliser; low output; insufficient food Urban PULL Factors -jobs in industry -better housing, schools, hospitals -more reliable sources of food -higher salaries -shops and entertainment ( bright lights ) -ability to carry out religious practices safely 2. Infrastructure of Cities in LEDCs is expanding faster than in rural areas, which attracts industrial investment (and people looking for work) 3. Population Increase tends to be faster in urban areas because health care is better, so the death rate is lower. Also people moving to the cities are younger and so have more children
URBAN LAND USE IN LEDCs Just as there are models for Urban Land Use in MEDCs, some models have been suggested for Urban Land Use within LEDCs. These show some similarities to the HOYT Sector Model CBD HIGH-QUALITY HOUSING MEDIUM-QUALITY HOUSING LOW-QUALITY HOUSING SHANTY TOWNS INDUSTRY of shops and offices, looks very similar to MEDCs expensive apartments and large houses on best-quality land, close to CBD and along main roads oldest housing, improved by occupants over several decades self-built using breeze blocks and corrugated iron (improved Shanty Towns) newest housing on the city outskirts built from scrap, wood, metal and plastic zones of industry have developed along roads and railways In general, the QUALITY OF HOUSING decreases as the distance from the CBD increases
URBAN PROBLEMS IN MEDCs With the growth of cities in more developed, richer countries, certain problems may occur: INNER CITY DECLINE major problems in Inner City areas due to the decline of Manufacturing -As traditional manufacturing closed down, derelict, run-down buildings were left -Modern Industries need good access, more space, good location (not expensive close to CBD), improved technology -High unemployment, neighbourhoods decline, social deprivation, better-off move to suburbs -Inner city housing was old, cramped, damp and unhealthy -Public transport systems struggled to cope TRAFFIC PROBLEMS increase in car ownership and commuting mean major congestion problems (companies allowing Flexi-time, and Park-and-Ride schemes counter this) -Pollution caused by car fumes RETAILING CHANGES The Doughnut Effect occurs where the commercial centre becomes concentrated on the outskirts of a city. Out-of-town shopping centres have become more common. Marks & Spencer have brought about the closure of shops in CBD. Leaves a hollow in the middle of the city URBAN PROBLEMS IN LEDCs With the growth of cities in less developed, poorer countries, certain problems may occur: OVERCROWDING high populations and lack of available transport mean people want to live close to where they might find work Pressure on Services as hospitals, schools, police and sanitation struggle to cope with an ever-expanding population Problems with clean water supply and waste disposal RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION rapid rate of migration means it is impossible to know exactly how fast cities are growing. This makes planning for growth very difficult HOUSING housing shortage leads to the growth of spontaneous, sprawling, Shanty Towns. Very poor living conditions and these are often built on dangerous ground for example steep hillsides which can collapse in heavy rain TRAFFIC traffic congestion (esp. during rush hour) and air pollution (damages health) become problems
URBAN RENEWAL Urban Renewal changes Inner City areas Many of these schemes operate within in MEDCs: URBAN RENEWAL SCHEMES aim to attract industry back into older areas and encourage investment in new housing, amenities and employment (e.g. London Docklands) Gentrification Urban Regeneration Urban Redevelopment Integrated Transport Systems old terraced houses and industrial buildings are converted to high-quality housing (e.g. London Docklands) derelict factories and wasteland redeveloped with office blocks, shops and leisure facilities (e.g. Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London) old terraced housing replaced with tower blocks (e.g. Tower Hamlets, London) new ring roads, light railways and trams relieve congestion (e.g. Docklands Light Railway) LONDON DOCKLANDS In 1981 London s Docklands was an urban area in serious decline, as the docks (which were part of a thriving port) stood empty many of the associated industries left the area leaving the area with the highest unemployment in London The government set up the LDDC (London Docklands Development Corporation) the first Urban Development Corporation For 18years the LDDC brought land and buildings back into use (often with the help of private companies) New Roads, and a Light Railway were built to improve transport New Industry was attracted, particularly into the Enterprise Zone on the Isle of Dogs, as rent and rates were lower
COUNTER-URBANISATION / SUBURBINISATION Counter-Urbanisation / Suburbinisation mean the moving out of cities in MEDCs COUNTER-URBANISATION is the movement out of cities to surrounding areas SUBURBINISATION is where the rural areas on the outskirts of towns increasingly develop the characteristics of Urban areas. (Also known as Commuter/Dormitory towns) (also - outward growth of urban areas, groups of people moving to surrounding villages) REASONS FOR COUNTER-URBANISATION 1. Growth in transport and communication means people no longer need to live close to where they work. Increase in commuting. IT means people can work from home 2. Govt. policies can encourage movement out of cities by setting up fast transport links in satellite towns 3. New business parks on out of town Greenfield Sites mean people don t need to travel to city centre so live close to work on outskirts 4. Pollution and traffic congestion in cities encourage people to rural areas 5. More people move house when they retire 6. Cities are so popular that house prices have become too high COUNTER-URBANISATION EFFECTS ON VILLAGE CHARACTER & FUNCTION 1. Movement into village Hampshire 2. More affluent population and higher car ownership people use city, not local services Lyndhurst, 3. Increase in house prices young cannot afford homes and move away 4. Village is largely empty during the day dormitory village. Decline in community spirit 5. Local shops and services close as few people use them. Rural transport reduced as it is non-economical 6. Local people without transport have access to fewer amenities young/old become isolated BRAITHWAITE Braithwaite is a small village in the Lake District 1925 Nucleated core of tightly grouped farms, outbuildings along narrow lanes Most buildings 18 th / 19 th Century Employment: farming woollen mill flour mill nearby mines Community was self-contained (inc. church, chapel, village hall, school and inn) 70 YEARS LATER Character changed due to improved mobility and accessibility Village is 5km from Keswick (Tourist Centre) Next to improved A66, which links West Cumbria to M6 Old core remains, BUT surrounded by modern houses and accommodation and services for tourists Only a handful of residents are employed locally, either in farming or tourism
COMMUTING Commuting occurs when people live in a different area to that which they work A COMMUTER is a person who lives in a smaller town or village in the area surrounding a larger town or city, and who travels to that town or city for work This has been brought about by increase in car ownership and the improvement of road networks. NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF INCREASED TRAFFIC IN URBAN AREAS Environment Economy People Buildings air pollution noise pollution from cars, lorries and buses visual pollution of M-ways and car parks cost of petrol/diesel and use of non-renewable resource (oil) cost of building and maintaining roads time wasted sitting in traffic jams / gridlock situations general congestion danger of accidents and increase in stress (drivers and pedestrians) damage to foundations by car vibrations Destruction of property for new roads / car parks WHAT CAN BE DONE? Exclude, reduce or accommodate traffic by schemes such as Traffic-Free Zones, Park and Ride Schemes and Urban Motorways Try to reduce pollution, especially from vehicle exhausts Improve Public Transport e.g. Supertrams in Sheffield, Metrolink in Manchester, Metros in Tyne and Wear, Singapore and Hong Kong These rapid transport systems have resulted from Improved Technology
COMMUTING II B.A.R.T The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit System During the 1960s an increasingly large percentage travelled by car, causing pollution, accidents and congestion Increasing demands to construct more freeways into, and car parks within, the CBD This would NOT have reduced the congestion It was decided to build a completely new system Opened in 1974, completed in 1978 The Bay Area Rapid Transit System is a 120km electric railway (with underwater, underground and elevated sections) designed to ease traffic congestion in the CBD Underwater section withstands earthquakes, moving as the ground moves (experienced no problems in the 1989 quake) ADVANTAGES Electric and so pollution free Fast conveyance of 350 000 commuters a day Trains can travel up to 120km/hr Travel times reduced by at least 30mins Trains run every 1.5mins at peak times and every 20mins at night Carriages are noiseless, air-conditioned and carpeted Whole system is computerised and fully automatic (drivers only take over in an emergency) Long platforms ensure rapid alighting and boarding Lower fares than by bus to attract users Cars left at suburban stations reduce CBD congestion Regeneration of commercial life in downtown San Francisco
RURAL DECLINE Urbanisation can have a negative effect on the rural environment RURAL DECLINE is brought about for a number of reasons; Urbanisation (inc. Push/Pull factors), Counter-Urbanisation and building on Greenfield Sites Urbanisation people moving out of the countryside -little rural investment -ageing population as young move out -fewer extended families changing social trends -continued poverty -continued reliance on agriculture -economic stagnation In LEDCs these factors are increased with natural disasters (drought etc), not enough jobs etc (PULL factors) Counter-Urbanisation Greenfield Sites changes the typical rural settlement are rural locations that not have been built on before These sites are popular with developers as they are cheaper and easier to build on Building on Greenfield Sites can lead to URBAN SPRAWL Such housing developments can encourage further building business parks, retail parks and leisure facilities