factors controlling urban land use

the social, economic, political and physcial factors controlling urban land use

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political

  • planning- before the 20th century cities grew without formal planning. in the UK, introduction of government planning led to a more structured layout of cities and therefore a greater organisation of land use
  • transport routes- railways, airports and motorways increase accessibility attracting industry to cluster along main transport routes. industries such as manufacturing, wherehousing, and other commerical activites
  • transport technology- speed and efficency of urban transport affects the size and density of an urban area. cities relying on public transport are more compact, whereas cities relying mainly on private transport are less compact
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economic

  • local economic system- cities that specialise in scomonic activites such as heavy industry reflect this in their land use patterns. they will have industiral areas clustering around ports and transport links. cities specialising in tourism will cluster most retail and services around attractions such as beaches
  • competition between land uses- areas in the CBD have high land costs due to density, so services such as retailing sominate the CBD as they are more profitiable and can therefore afford the higher rents
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Social

  • social distance- large ethnic and social class differences develop leading to segregation causing distrubution of housing types
  • traditions, values and culture- land use patterns reflect differences in culture. cities in Europe are different from cities in poorer countires
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physical

  • Topography- land use can be influenced by physical factors such as caostlines, river valleys, altitude and climate. a city near a river will concentrate industry for easy access around the river and also high class housing for the views
  • local climates- prevailing winds and temperature ranges influence the quality and distrubition of housing types 
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