Introduction

Aim of investigation:
The aim of this investigation is to investigate the area chosen to a variance of aspects
which includes urbanisation, land use also the type of shops and business available in the
area chosen.
What is the location that I chose, and why?
I chose Uxbridge, Uxbridge is a large town located in west London, England and is the
administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the
ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located 15 miles (24.1 km) west-northwest of
Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It
historically formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex and was a
significant local commercial centre from an early time. As part of the suburban growth of
London in the 20th century it expanded and increased in population, becoming a municipal
borough in 1955 and has formed part of Greater London since 1965. Uxbridge is a significant
retail and commercial centre, and is the location of Brunel University and the Uxbridge
campus of Buckinghamshire New University.
The information above was indirectly aided by Wikipedia (NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGMENT WAS INTENDED)
Transport
Uxbridge station, fronted by a pedestrian high street is served by the Metropolitan
and Piccadilly underground lines. The station is connected to a bus terminus with
connections to Hillingdon, Hayes, Ealing, Ruislip, and Slough. There were once three railway
stations - Uxbridge Vine Street (originally just Uxbridge Station), Uxbridge High Street, and
Uxbridge Belmont Road. All three have now closed, replaced by the underground and bus
services.
Shopping
Much of the town centre is pedestrianised, and it is a popular destination for
shopping in West London. Uxbridge boasts two shopping centres and a busy high street. The
most modern covered shopping is found in the Chimes, home to a variety of nearly 80
shops, including Debenhams, GAP, Next, BHS, Top Shop and many more. The Chimes is also
home to the nine-screen Uxbridge Odeon. In the other centre, among the 100 stores in the
Mall Pavilions, you can find M&S, TK Maxx, Iceland, Tesco, Wilkinsons, Peacocks and Argos.
In addition, just off the High Street is Windsor Street, a short road still populated by old,
traditional, independent shops.
Average Salary of Residents of Uxbridge
According to total jobs.com the average salary of a job located in uxbridge is 39,996. This
number is quite unlikely and unreliable as the sample size of the people they sampled
consisted of 2 people with quite high pays, compared to the average wage of the UK.
What are land use models?
Land use models are theories which attempt to explain the layout of urban areas. A model is
used to simplify complex, real world situations, and make them easier to explain and
understand. There are two main land use models that apply to urban areas in MEDCS (More
Economically Developed Countries). These are the Burgess and Hoyt model.
The Burgess Model
The model below is the Burgess model (also known as the Concentric Model).






Where is Uxbridge?
Uxbridge is a large town located in west London, England and is the administrative
headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of
Greater London. It is located 15 miles (24.1 km) west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one
of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. The Central Business
District lies near the centre of Uxbridge giving the town its economic value providing many
large high street shops in this small town. They also have an inner city, this is where all the
small terraced housings lie, and this is quite popular with young adults as its near the CBD
so they can get to work quite quickly without the trouble of long consisting journeys. It also
has suburbs which is an area where people live which is away from the centre of a town or
city. The Suburbs consist of more expensive and larger housing with large gardens and
semidetached and detached houses.
Here is a map of Uxbridge:



The Hoyt Model
The model below is the Hoyt model (also known as the Sector Model).






Bid-rent theory
In order to have a good understanding of the way urban areas are likely to grow, it is
important to have an understanding of Bid-rent theory.
The diagram below shows what various land-users are prepared and able to pay for good
access to the CBD:








It can be seen that commerce (in particular large department stores/chain stores) is willing
to pay the greatest rent to be located in the CBD. The CBD is very valuable for them because
it is traditionally the most accessible location for a large population. This large population is
essential for department stores, which require a considerable turnover. As a result, they are
willing and able to pay a very high land rent value. They maximise the potential of their site
by building many stories. As you move from the CBD, commerce is unwilling to pay as much
for a site. In fact, what they are willing to pay declines rapidly. Industry is, however, willing
to pay to be on the outskirts of the CBD. There is more land available for their factories, but
they still have many of the benefits of the CBD, such as a market place and good
communications. As you move further out, so the land is less attractive to industry and the
householder is able to purchase land. The further you go from the CBD, the cheaper the
land. This is why inner city areas are very densely populated (terraces, flats and high rises),
whilst the suburbs and rural areas are sparsely populated (semi and detached houses with
gardens).

This bid-rent theory explains one pattern of urban land-use that is also identified by Burgess'
concentric ring model. The pattern is never as simple in reality. Today, out-of-town shopping
centres and industrial sites have influenced the pattern.
In this Controlled Assessment the following key terms shall be used:
Urban Transects Data- A form of Systematic Sampling
Footfall Count- The counting of people inside a shop or service or outside or people
walking past.
CBD-Central Business District
Urban development concepts- A variety of diagrams- The Burgess and Hoyt model, CBD,
services provision, diversity services, threshold, Bid rent theory and clustering.
PLVI-peak land value intersection
High Order shops- Entertainment, Restaurants & comparison shops.
Low Order shops- Specialist and convenience shops and businesses.
Land use- The type of buildings or other places that are found in that area.
Urbanisation- A process where an increasing proportion of the population live in towns and
cities
Settlement Function- The main activity, usually economic e.g. tourists resort or social e.g.
dormitory town, of a place.
Possible Hypothesis:
1: The main function in the CBD will be shops and services.
1b: There will be a clear boundary between the CBD and the next zone (Inner City)
1c: The heights of buildings will decrease as you move away from the CBD.
1d: There will be a clustering of high order shops in the CBD.
1e: There will be a clustering of Offices, Banks and Estate Agents in the CBD
1f: There will be a regular distribution of Fast Food, Restaurants, Pubs and Coffee Shops in the CBD.
2: Building Height increases towards the CBD in Uxbridge
3: There are more Parking and Traffic Restrictions in the CBD
4: Pedestrian numbers will increase towards the CBD
5: There will be a clear boundary between the CBD and the Industrial or Residential Zone
(Suburbs).
6: The Environmental Quality of the CBD will be high.
Chapter 2: Aims and Hypotheses
In my Controlled Assessment, I shall be investigating and analysing the following hypotheses
and aims as the overall focus of my work that I am conducting on the Central Business
District of Uxbridge:
Aim Hypothesis Theory
To investigate retail and
commerce within the CBD.

There will be a regular
distribution of food shops,
restaurants, takeaways, pubs
and coffee shops in the CBD.

I have chosen this as my
hypothesis as from my data there
is a clear trend regarding these
types of shops so that is why I
chose it. Think that the regular
distribution will happen `as
competitors would like to keep a
keen eye on their competitors
. To identify any issues
concerning the management
of the CBD.

The majority of land use in
the CBD will be retail and
commerce.

This is the corresponding
hypothesis to Aim 1 as the CBD Of
Uxbridge is conveyed around a
range of retail and commerce
businesses hence the name
Central Business District and this
hypothesis plays a focal point
towards this controlled
assessment.
To identify any issues
concerning the management
of the CBD.

The CBD will be the most
accessible part of town and
will be the focal point for
transport links.

This hypothesis was chosen due
to the major transport links to
the CBD as seen in the map
above.
To investigate retail and
commerce within the CBD.

The CBD will contain a large
range of shops, services,
businesses and
entertainment
This hypothesis also is in
conjunction with the previously
mentioned Hypothesis 4 and Aim 1

Chapter 3 Methodology
Where and when did we collect our data?
We collected all our data in the area of uxbridge I chose Uxbridge because, Uxbridge
is a large town located in west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of
the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater
London. It is located 15 miles (24.1 km) west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the
major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It historically formed part of the
parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex and was a significant local commercial centre
from an early time. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century it
expanded and increased in population, becoming a municipal borough in 1955 and has
formed part of Greater London since 1965. Uxbridge is a significant retail and commercial
centre, and is the location of Brunel University and the Uxbridge campus of
Buckinghamshire New University. We Collected our data on the on 23rd October 2012, I had
carried out an investigation as part of my geography controlled assessment examine and
analyse the key aspects of the Central Business District area of Uxbridge.
Chapter 3 Methodology
Method Sample size
and duration
Techniques
Links to
Hypothesis and
Aims
Equipment Evaluation
Land Use Map
We stood
outside all the
shops for
about 10
minutes but
this varied on
our walking
speed and
how thorough
we were on
the map and
the type of
land we
walked on as
some of the
land we
walked on was
hard to walk
on
To complete the
land use map
we did the
following steps:
1) Used the map
and followed
the area where
we were
walking.
2)Started
colouring in the
land use map
following the
key we decided
such as
residential,
open space,
industrial ,
shops, offices
and leisure.
This method
will help me
investigate the
following
hypothesis:
There will be a
regular
distribution of
food shops,
restaurants,
takeaways,
pubs and coffee
shops in the
CBD.
Because this
will help me
identify the
different types
of shops there
are and the
distribution
The
following
apparatus
needed is a
map of
uxbridge
to make my
data as
reliable as
possible I
would use
quite a
large map
so the map
can be
more
detailed
and I need
colours for
my colour
coding
preferably
felt tips as
they look
clearer

Questionnaire
We walked
around and
conducted a
survey among
people and
asked them to
do a survey in
a various
amount of
points around
the CBD to
make sure the
data is as
reliable as
possible and
that we make
sure our data
is reliable. The
process of this
would overall
take up a time
of 30 minutes
as I think that
was a good
time space for
us to collect as
much data we
can as
possible.
To complete the
questionnaire
we had to
conduct the
following steps.
1)we first
allocated the
relevant
amount of
questions we
can ask the
public
2)We walked
around for a
total of half an
hour and asked
the general
public the
questions we
allocated
The hypothesis
that this would
affect is the
following:
The CBD will
contain a large
range of shops,
services,
businesses and
entertainment.
The reason why
as thought the
different points
of the CBD we
can see how
each person
would answer
this would be
linked nicely
with my
hypothesis
Questionnaires
can help me on
the basis of this
aim: To identify
any issues
concerning the
management of
the CBD.
As some of the
questions asked
were regarding
issues of traffic
and parking
We used a
piece of
paper and a
tally. The
Reason why
we used a
tally as it
was the
most
effective
way to note
down
peoples
opinion but
the bad
thing about
it, it
generalises
other
peoples
opinion in
the CBD.

Pedestrian
Count
With the
pedestrian
count we
stood in front
of shops
within the CBD
district and
saw how the
traffic varied
for store to
store. We
stood in front
of a store for 5
minutes for
each store.
To complete the
pedestrian
count we had to
first choose
different areas
in each districts
in the CBD.
After did the
following:
1)Choose the
store to stand
outside
2)Record each
person that
walks past via a
tally chart
3)Do step 3 for
The aim that I
am going to try
and prove using
pedestrian
count is:
To investigate
retail and
commerce
within the
CBD.
This method
will help me
prove this aim
as we will be
able to see the
amount of
pedestrian
The
equipment
that we
used is the
tally chart
with a pen
to record
how many
people
walked
past. We
allocated
more than
one person
to count as
human
errors in

5 minutes
4) After count
how many
people walked
past
traffic there is
in each section
we can also link
this to
transport and
how accessible
it is.
this specific
point so we
got more
than one
person than
calculated
the
average.
Footfall count
With footfall
count we
stood in front
of shops
within the CBD
district and
saw how the
traffic varied
for store to
store. We
stood in front
of a store for 5
minutes for
each store.
To complete the
footfall count
we had to first
choose
different areas
in each districts
in the CBD.
After did the
following:
1)Choose the
store to stand
outside
2)Record each
person that
walks past via a
tally chart
3)Do step 3 for
5 minutes
4) After count
how many
people walked
past
The aim that I
am going to try
and prove using
pedestrian
count is:
To investigate
retail and
commerce
within the
CBD.
This method
will help me
prove this aim
as we will be
able to see the
amount of
pedestrian
traffic there is
in each section
we can also link
this to
transport and
how accessible
it is. The
hypothesis is
this:
The CBD will
be the most
accessible part
of town and will
be the focal
point for
transport links.
The
equipment
that we
used is the
tally chart
with a pen
to record
how many
people
walked
past. We
allocated
more than
one person
to count as
human
errors in
this specific
point so we
got more
than one
person than
calculated
the
average.

Secondary:
With secondary I collected relevant information from websites and books:
Features that identify the CBD: Bullring Shopping Centre, Birmingham High/multi-
storey buildings. Expensive land values. Department stores or specialist shops, like jewellers,
Shopping malls and pedestrian precincts, Cultural/historical buildings, museums and castles,
Offices, finance, banks, administration, town hall (business sector, Bus and railway stations
(transport centres), Multi-storey car parks.
The CBD is located in the centre because it is a central location for road/railways to
converge the most accessible location for workers accessible to most people for shops and
businesses to help you remember how to identify a CBD think of a city you know. In your
exam give named examples for the features listed above.
For secondary data I had done research at home and school using many methods to
help me in investigating my aims and hypotheses chosen, the following resources were used
on basis of helping me with this piece of
work. This was used from a GCSE
Geography textbook regarding the main
function of a CBD.
This map tends to show the major
and comparisons and convenience shops
and services in the Uxbridge are. This map
also tends to relate towards the following
hypotheses, The CBD will contain a large
range of shops, services, businesses and
There will be a regular distribution of food
shops, restaurants, takeaways, pubs and coffee shops in the CBD and The majority of land
use in the CBD will be retail and commerce and finally this aim To investigate retail and
commerce within the CBD. As all these aim and hypothesis tend to focus on shops and
services the food and restaurant can be shown as a clustered proportion on the map.
The following website link,
http://www.britishhistory.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22409#s3
Tends to show how uxbridge has developed during the course of 200 years whereby it
tends to show the rapid development of retail and commerce in the CBD over the years in
relation to hypothesis 3. The information provided on the website also make links towards
how Uxbridge has been linked to many cities and towns within the UK also providing a map
to show the convenience of how to travel to many previously mentioned places. This
website
http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/article/7834/Transport-streets-and-parking
Links to hypothesis 2 and aim 2 the website shows the main attributes of issues linking to
aim 2 and hypothesis 2 transport links to many cities and towns within England and London.



Presenting Data (Chapter 4):
Pedestrian Count

Y axis: People X axis: Shops
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
KFC Whsmith Sports
Direct
Costa Water
Stones
BHS M&S
Traffic Count
Pedestrain Count

It wilts
































Here is the Nearest Neighbour analysis for Banks, Estate Agents and Building Societies:


Total distance =


Here is another analysis, this time it is restaurants:
Shop No: Nearest
Neighbour
Distance
(cm)
23 6 2
6 23 2
13 15 2
15 13 1
40 113 2
113 40 2
47 40 2
30 32 2
32 30 2
50 113 2.5
64 50 6
80 84 2
84 80 2
136 129 2
129 120 2
120 119 0.5
119 118 0.5
118 119 0.5
Shop No: Nearest
Neighbour
Distance
(cm)
4 2 0.5
2 2 0.3
1 1 0.3
14 19 0.8
19 14 0.8
36 39 3
39 14 1
59 63 1
63 59 1
89 91 1
91 117 1.5
103 104 0.5
104 103 0.5
117 103 1.5
122 104 0.5
9 19 1.5
12 14 0.5
26 14 1.5
35 cm

Rn = nearest neighbour value
D (Obs) = Mean observed
distance
A = Study area size
N= Number of points
Study area size = 22cm x 22 cm =
484 cm
2
Number of points= 19

Rn=
Average distance = 1.94 cm

Rn = Nearest neighbour value
D (Obs) = Mean observed
distance
A = Study area size
N= Number of points
Study area size = 22cm x 22 cm =
484 cm
2
Number of points= 20
Rn=
Average distance = 1.025 cm


Total distance = 20.5

The data shown above relates to Hypotheses 1 and 4. The data above tends to show that
according to my hypothesis they are conclusive as they show a clear clustering in table 1 as
they are shown and in the second the trends of distances seem to be similar in the first table
we see the distances ranging from 0cm to 2cm whereas in the second it ranges from 0cm to
1 cm. This piece of evidence shows that there in the first table the distribution of shops
seems not be clustered however being regular due to the distance hence hypothesis 1 being
true in this scenario.











48 51 1.4
51 48 1.4
20.5