Characteristics of Urban Land Use (CIE IGCSE Geography)

Urban land use

• This refers to activities that are found in towns and cities 
• All urban settlements have recurring features:
  • A central core or central business district (CBD)
  • Industrial areas - inner-city ring
  • Different residential districts - suburban ring
  • Outer zones of suburban expansion - urban fringe

• All towns and cities tend to grow outwards, from a historic centre or core to an urban fringe
• Each zone grows due to the needs of the city during its development, over time
• As a general rule, all towns and cities, regardless of place or level of development, show the same four features:
  • A central core
  • An inner-city zone
  • A suburban zone
  • An urban fringe 

Central Core

• The oldest part of a city with features such as:
  • The central business district (CBD) e.g. banks, retail and commercial offices
  • Multi-storey development, with vertical growth rather than horizontal due to lack of space
  • Land of high value
  • Concentrated retail and office space
  • Pedestrianisation for high footfall
  • Convergence of public transport
  • Traffic restrictions for private vehicles
  • Low residential population

Inner city zone

• A 'frame' to the inner core which developed as the core developed
• Older, compact, terraced 'worker' housing to support a growing population density 
• Surrounded by older industrial areas
• Areas are centred around transport links and access to manufacturing
• Available land increases with distance, so costs are reduced
• Residential land is in direct competition with commercial usage

 Suburban zone

• Residential areas 
• Emergence of segregated residential zones based on wealth, ethnicity, choice or government policy (e.g. social housing)
• Semi and detached housing with gardens
• Tree-lined avenues and cul-de-sacs
• Smaller retail premises
• The cost of land decreases but the size of the property increases with the distance

Urban fringe

• Outer edges of the city:
• The countryside is eroded through the urban spread/sprawl
• Housing is clustered into estates, which increases 'spot' density
• Some industrial land uses
• Accessibility is best

• Other similar characteristics of modern urban settlements include:
  • The age of the built-up area decreases from the core to the fringe
  • The density of building developments decreases from the core to the fringes
  • Grandeur, function, design and style changes across the zones
  • Over time, population density and land use changes

Based on Burgess's Concentric Ring Theory

• The model above is a simplification but shows there is a core where most of the commercial activity is found
• The CBD is usually the most accessible (public transport) with the highest land value
• High-rise buildings are seen here due to the high demand for land, but there is a lack of space to satisfy that demand e.g. Singapore, New York and Hong Kong are known for their 'skyscrapers' and land prices are amongst the highest in the world

Peak land value

• Any land that has 'purpose' will be valuable and cost more to buy or rent
• Usually, retail shops can make money and seek prime positions
• Therefore, land uses of similar activities will come together creating 'peaks' and 'troughs' of land values across the urban landscape
• There are two points to consider:
  • The value of the land:
    • Varies across the urban areas
    • Usually decreases from the centre, outwards
    • Higher land prices are also found along main roads, urban hubs and around ring roads
  • The location of the land:
    • Is important to value
    • The closer to key functions, the higher the value
    • Accessibility and desirability increase land value

Peak Land Value

Bid-rent theory

• Also known as 'distance decay theory', where the price and demand for land change as the distance from the CBD increases
• Different land uses will compete for desirable plots to maximize their profits
• Accessibility increases the potential for more customers
• There is a trade-off between accessibility and the cost of the land
• The closer to the CBD the more desirable land is to retail and the higher the price charged/paid
• Industry cannot compete with high prices moving further away from CBD
• Residential land is outpriced across the zones, but competition is less so value decreases as more space becomes available

 Bid-Rent Theory

Urban land use in LEDCs

• The Latin American city model shows that the CBD has developed around a colonial core, with a commercial corridor extending from it
• This has become the main avenue and contains open spaces and homes for medium and higher-income earners
• These areas will have quality streets, schools and public services
• Newer suburbs are found further out with random housing and fewer services
• Squatter housing is found at the edge of the city; however, the more established squatter settlements can be found along the zones that extend into the city centre
• Conditions here are usually better than in the more recent housing at the edge, most likely due to employment opportunities found closer to the core
• Industrial areas are scattered along the major transport routes, with the newest developments at the edge

Latin American City Model

Land zoning in LEDCs

• Manufacturing is found throughout the city
• Segregation is seen through wealth, ethnicity and race 
• The wealthy are found closer to the central core of the city on wealthy land
• The poor are pushed to the peripheral areas