Settlement A place where people live

The land on which a

Site settlement is built

The location of a settlement

Situation in relation to the
surrounding area

An increase in the number

Urbanisation of people living in cities
compared to those living in
rural areas

Settlement The reason a settlement is

there (its social and
Function economic activities) - e.g. a
market town
 CBD Central Business District or
city centre

An area of the city that

Inner City grew up in the 19th century
with industrialisation (also
known as the Twilight
zone)

Suburb The outer residential area

of a town / city

Rural-Urban The boundary between a

fringe built up area and the
countryside around it

Sub-
Growth of the suburbs at
Urbanisation the edge of a city
 Counter- The movement of people
Urbanisation away from large cities to
smaller settlements

People living in one place

Commuting and travelling to work in
another

Brownfield Disused and derelict land

which is redeveloped and
Site built on

Greenfield An area of land that has not

been built on before
Site

An area of poor quality

Shanty Town housing in an LEDC city
(lacking amenities e.g.
running water)
 An area of land around a
Greenbelt large urban area where the
development of housing is
restricted and land
protected.

Rural-Urban The movement of people

from rural areas into towns
migration / cities

Urban The demolition and re-

building of an area in
Redevelopment decline - e.g. 1960s
building of tower blocks

Urban The improvement and

modernisation of buildings
Regeneration in an inner city area that
had declined (e.g. the
London Docklands)

Improving the physical, social

and environmental quality /
Gentrification appearance of an area so it
attracts people wealthier than
those who had previously lived
in the area
Settlement The ordering of settlements
Hierarchy according to their size and
importance

Range of a The maximum distance

people are prepared to
Good travel to obtain a good or
service

Threshold The minimum number of

people needed to support a
population service so it can stay open

Sphere of The area served by a

Influence particular settlement

High order Usually high cost goods,

goods bought now and again e.g.
TV's and furniture
 Low order Usually low cost goods
goods needed often - e.g. milk
and newspapers

Neighbourhood Group of low order shops

e.g. newsagents and
shopping bakery serving an area
centre within a town (e.g. Kings
Hedges)