Settlement Dynamics - 6.3 The changing structure of urban settlements

Question 1

What factors affect the location of urban activities?

Answer 1

• Market forces. The demand and supply of land in various locations dictates its price.
• Local or central government planning decisions. Planners can overrule market forces where they consider it necessary for the public good.

Question 2

What factors affect the manufacturing industry?

Answer 2

The relatively compact nature of towns and cities during the Industrial Revolution resulted in a concentration of the manufacturing industry in the inner circle of urban areas. The constraints of inner cities, has led, in recent years, to the section of new suburban locations though the process of deindustrialisation.

Question 3

What factors affect the retailing industry?

Answer 3

• Suburban CBD’s. As urban sprawl continues, more people find themselves at a distance from CBD’s, so these districts have popped up to supply the demand.
• Retail parks. A large floorspace and a large area for parking has caused these locations around easily accessible ring roads to pop up.
• Urban superstores. These large but simple single-owner retail units are located at points of high accessibility and consumer demand
• Internet shopping and home deliveries.

Question 4

How has the location of health services changed?

Answer 4

Investment in larger health centres, to suffice the growing demand with population increases has led to the closure of smaller hospitals and pharmacies.

Question 5

How has the location of education services changed?

Answer 5

Although primary schools have tended to remain local, secondary education is being seen in larger institutions to also combat a growing demand, meaning the typical distance from these for students has increased to.