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 suns
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

buildings along a communication line river, road

Nucleated

buildings grouped together, initially for defense,

later for social and economic reasons

Dispersed

buildings are spread apart from communication

link and each other

Planned

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
3rd Century BC

SITUATION

SITUATION

Paris is a focus of roads

throughout France and Europe

International Airports provide

global links

SITUATION

SITE

Paris is a centre of European rail

networks

Fertile soil of River Seines

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

SITE

Settlement first began on a

small island in River Seine

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 worlds 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

3rd Largest City in Brazil

Situated around the huge natural harbour of Guanabara Bay

Population

Approx 12million

CBD
Luxury Apartments
Old inner suburbs
Newer outer suburbs
Urban-rural fringe
Too steep for settlement
Favelas
Low-quality local authority (conjuntos
habitaionais)

CBD

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

Luxury Apartments

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

Favelas

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

(Newer Outer Suburbs)

Favelas
(Older Inner Suburbs)

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

Estimated 1million homeless

1million live in Favelas and another 1million in poor quality housing

Crime

Rio is notorious for use of drugs, violence

Many residents leaving and moving to suburbs

Traffic

Mountains hem traffic along a limited number of routes

Severe congestion

Pollution

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

large numbers of migrants to Jakarta are unable to find regular jobs. The jobs that are
available are often low paid and dangerous

Housing

shortage of cheap housing means many migrants live in appalling conditions in Jakartas
shanty towns

Services

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

Traffic

congestion is becoming worse as the number of cars, lorries and autotaxis increase

SOLUTIONS
Transnational Companies

have been encouraged to provide jobs

New Towns

have been built on the city outskirts to provide more housing

Shanty Towns

have been destroyed and apartment blocks built in their place

Self-Help Schemes

have helped the poorest people to build their own homes

Water Supplies

are being improved

Road Congestion

is being tackled by building large flyovers throughout the city

Railway Network

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

Perhaps none, or public telephone

Village

Church, Post Office, Public House, Shops for Daily goods, Small Junior School, Village Hall

Small Town

Town Hall, Doctor, Several Churches / Chapels, Cafes and Restaurants, Small Secondary School,
Railway Station, Several Shops

Large Town

Several shopping areas / arcades, Hypermarket, Railway Station, Bus Station, Hotels, Banks, Small
Hospital, Small Football Team

City

Large Railway Station, Large Shopping Complex, Cathedral, Opticians and Jewellers, Large Hospital,
Large Football Team, University, Theatre, County Hall, Airport

Conurbation / Capital

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

e.g. Furniture stores, Theatres which a high number of people

will use

Small places provide LOW order goods and services

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

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

Threshold

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
Doctor
Secondary School
Shoe shop
Large supermarket
Department store

Diagram of the Sphere of Influence of EXETER

300
2 500
10 000
25 000
50 000
100 000
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 18th and 19th 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
MARKET TOWN

MINING
INDUSTRIALMANUFACTURING
PORTS

ROUTE CENTRES

COMMERCIAL
CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS
ADMINISTRATIVE

RESIDENTIAL
TOURIST RESORTS

DESCRIPTION
Originally collecting and distributing centers for
surrounding farming area. Today they may service
and process agricultural machinery and produce
Developed to exploit local mineral or fuels
Where raw materials are processed into
manufactured goods
Located on coasts, rivers and lakes for the
movement of goods and people from land to sea, or
vice versa
At the convergence of several natural routes or at
nodal points (where communication links meet)
resulting from economic development
Providing the needs of industry and business
Attracting people, perhaps for a short period, for
educational and religious purposes
Developed to control areas which may vary from a
small region (County Town) to a country (Capital
City)
Where the majority of residents live but do not
work
Include spa towns, coastal and mountain resorts

UK EXAMPLE
YORK

WORLD EXAMPLE
Winnipeg

CORBY
BIRMINGHAM

Prudhoe Bay
Pittsburgh

SOUTHAMPTON

Thunder Bay

CARLISLE

Paris

LONDON
CAMBRIDGE

Hong Kong
Rome

EXETER

Brasilia

TELFORD

Marne-La-Vallee

BATH

Orlando

Settlement function can CHANGE over time

decline of manufacturing industry (e.g. Sheffield) because of cheaper goods

being imported
INDUSTRIAL CHANGE
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 /
Wholesale Light Manufacturing

is the area of wholesale manufacturing. It is a mix of poorer quality

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 19th 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 20th 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

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

(unemployment)
-large families not enough land for heirs
-poor seed poor tools little fertiliser low output insufficient food

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

of shops and offices, looks very similar to MEDCs

HIGH-QUALITY HOUSING

expensive apartments and large houses on best-quality land, close to CBD and along main
roads

MEDIUM-QUALITY HOUSING

oldest housing, improved by occupants over several decades

LOW-QUALITY HOUSING

self-built using breeze blocks and corrugated iron (improved Shanty Towns)

SHANTY TOWNS

newest housing on the city outskirts built from scrap, wood, metal and plastic

INDUSTRY

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

old terraced houses and industrial buildings are converted to high-quality housing
(e.g. London Docklands)

Urban Regeneration

derelict factories and wasteland redeveloped with office blocks, shops and leisure
facilities
(e.g. Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London)

Urban Redevelopment

old terraced housing replaced with tower blocks

(e.g. Tower Hamlets, London)

Integrated Transport Systems

new ring roads, light railways and trams relieve congestion

(e.g. Docklands Light Railway)

LONDON DOCKLANDS
In 1981 Londons 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 dont 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
Lyndhurst,
Hampshire
2.
More affluent population and higher car ownership people use city, not local services
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 18th / 19th 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

air pollution
noise pollution from cars, lorries and buses
visual pollution of M-ways and car parks

Economy

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

People

danger of accidents and increase in stress (drivers and pedestrians)

Buildings

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

changes the typical rural settlement

Greenfield Sites

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