Settlement Processes and Patterns Weekly Outline

Information in italics is taken from AQA A specification.

Settlement Processes and Patterns

Week • Global characteristics of urbanisation
10 • Percentage living in urban areas; million cities, change over time.

Week • Urbanisation in LEDCs

11 • The causes, patterns and effects, and characteristics of urbanisation in one major
LEDC where the process is still occurring.

Week • Urbanisation in MEDCs – UK

12 • Urbanisation in the UK

Week • Suburbanisation in the MEDW

13 • Causes and consequences in an MEDC.

Week • Counterurbanisation and changes in the rural-urban fringe

14 • Definitions of counter and re-urbanisation. The distinction between counter
urbanisation and sub-urbanisation. Changes over time in rural-urban fringe
settlements in the UK: an analysis of the causes and consequences of these
changes.
Week • Suburbanised villages and the model of a suburbanised village – compare with
15 case study
• The nature of and causes of changes in the land use patterns of suburbanised
villages. The model of a suburbanised village and its application to a case study.

Week • Reurbanisation and gentrification

16 • Factors encouraging re urbanisation. The consequences of reurbanisation.
Gentrification as illustrated by a UK case study.

Week • Issues regarding the use of greenfield sites and brownfield sites for housing
17 • The issues regarding the use of greenfield and brownfield sites for additional
housing.

Week • Settlement hierarchy and spheres of influence; Reilly’s Law of Retail Gravitation
18 • Settlement hierarchy, spheres of influence with reference to the concepts of
threshold and range. Determining the theoretical sphere – Reilly’s Law of retail
gravitation. Identifying the actual sphere of influence.
Week • Test on Settlement
19