Advanced Planning

Techniques
 Survey

Survey Information database Knowledge Planning

John RatCliffe 1says that In order understand the society, for which planning is
to be done, to identify the nexus of needs & problems, to have comprehensive
understanding of city elements & their effect upon each other, to formulate
policies & choose between them or adjust them in practice; a town planner
must be equipped with variety of tools & techniques. Because the planning is
based upon knowledge; the knowledge depends upon information &
information depends upon survey. Now the survey of many components from
the built and natural environment is the main concern in this respect

Order & Component of town planning survey

physical characteristics utilities population employment housing

evaluation movement & management leisure & recreation shopping

Objective of survey
The surveys establish ultimately the present state of the town and indicate the
measures for its improvements.
Objective of survey for the town planning are:
• The people, their interests and occupations and how they follow them,
• The land and buildings and how they serve their interests.

The data collected in surveys are properly analysed in relation to the area
under consideration and they are recorded on maps, charts, schedules and
models. The planning survey does not start just of its own, it has to be
organized with meticulous care from beginning to end and various processes
concerned with such survey are suitably collected, processed, arranged and
interpreted. Thus, the essential ingredient of a purposeful town planning
survey is to arrange the facts of investigation in the best possible scientific
manner
Advantage & Role of Survey
Advantage
1. The survey draws attention to the inter-relation between various
complicated activities of a town life.
2. The survey stresses the local requirements and appropriate treatment to
be given socially, conveniently and artistically.
3. ‘Survey before Plan’ the principle advocated by Sir Patrick Geddes
4. It is the ‘Diagnosis before treatment’ or ‘Diagnostic approach’ without
which no adequate planning scheme can be prepared for a town.
The survey data so collected can be analysed and will be represented in the
form of maps, charts, tables and models. Such a fully illustrated and clearly
documented survey is helpful and advantageous.
Role
1. To evaluate the effects of development,
2. To present detailed reasoned reports,
3. To provide the necessary understanding before decisions for
development are made,
4. To study the situation with respect to objective effectually.
Survey Data Checklist & Type

• List major topics with its priority.

• List of major information needs and how each will be used for analysis.
• Break down each topic into sub-topics.
• Indicate the likely information sources such as
• Document from Government departments, organisations, private
agencies, publications etc.
• Observation in the study area and inspection
• Dialogue, interviews
• Self-completion surveys etc.

Survey Data or information are of two type

• Primary data survey
• Secondary data survey
Primary Data Survey

1. Visual survey / Reconnaissance survey: This survey does not require direct
contact with population of the study area. It is quick overview of the area.
2. Inspection: It involves direct inspection of area by surveyor for extracting
information.
3. Personal Interview / Dialogue: This survey is more personal and could be
either face‐to‐face or telephonic. In such type of surveys some initial topics are
investigated to gain insight in the area of interest.
4. Focused Group Discussion (FGD) : FGD is a qualitative data collection and
research technique. Questions about opinions, perceptions, beliefs, attitude of
people towards planning aims, services are probed in these discussions
5. Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) :PRA is an intensive, systematic but semi‐
structured learning experience carried out in a community by a multi‐disciplinary
team, which includes community members using various tools like : learning
contracts, role reversals, feedback sessions, transect walks, wealth ranking, social
mapping etc.
6. Self-survey: In this type of survey indirect contact is made with the respondent
by sending questionnaire through mail or handed out but the response is not
collected on the spot.
Types of Surveys
1. Socio‐Economic Survey : Demographic survey is concerned with collection of
socio-economic data regarding characteristics of human populations, such as size,
growth, density, distribution, and vital statistics.
2. Land use / utilization Surveys : Land use survey is commonly undertaken with
the purpose to identify developed and undeveloped areas for analysis of physical
distribution and condition of existing development for future projections. In case
of ground verification of the land use map prepared by remote access or by
various secondary sources, land use of a defined land parcel can be observed by
undertaking a well-planned exercise. The developed and undeveloped area can
then be further classified into major categories depending upon the use to which
major portions of land are put to.
3. Density Surveys : Residential Density , Non Residential Density
4. Infrastructure Surveys
1. Physical infrastructure indicators: transportation, water supply, wastewater,
sewerage, and solid waste management infrastructure.
2. Social infrastructure indicators: educational, civic and utilities, health care,
recreation infrastructure etc.
5. Transportation Surveys
Socio‐Economic Survey :DEMOGRAPHIC
1. Fertility :
1. Crude birth rate
2. Age-specific fertility rate
3. Total fertility rate
2. Mortality
1. Crude death rate
2. Life expectancy at birth, both sexes
3. Infant mortality rate
4. Maternal mortality rate
3. Migration
1. In-migration rate
2. Out-migration rate
4. Population size
5. Population growth rate
6. Population structure
1. Sex ratio
2. Percentage of population aged under 15, 15-64 and 65 years and over
7. Household
1. Average household size
2. Percentage of households by sex of head
Socio‐Economic Survey : SOCIO-ECONOMIC

1. Labour and employment

• Process : Labour force participation rate, both sexes
• Outcome : Unemployment rate, both sexes
2. Education
• Process : Percentage of women/men by schooling completed
• Outcome : Functional literacy rate, both sexes
3. Health and Sanitation
1. Percentage of households availing of health care services
2. Percentage of households with sanitary type of toilet facilities
3. Percentage of households with safe main source of drinking water
4. Percentage of households with owned/rented or shared house and/or lot
4. Housing and Household Convenience
1. Percentage of households with house made of durable materials
2. Percentage of households with electricity connection
3. Percentage of households with household convenience
5. Income
1. Average family income
2. Per capita income of households
Land use / utilization Surveys
URDPFI 2014: Land Use Classification

N : Numeric code , A-N : Alpha Numeric code

Land use / utilization Surveys
URDPFI 2014: Land Use Classification
Land use / utilization Surveys
URDPFI 2014: Land Use Classification

N : Numeric code
A-N : Alpha Numeric
code
Density Surveys

Residential density Survey :

Residential density is normally expressed in terms of:
• Houses per unit land (dwelling units/hectare),
• Habitable rooms per unit land (rooms/hectare) (Accommodation density)
• Persons per unit land (persons/hectare) (Population Density).
For comparison at later stages and analysis of the residential areas, the study area
can be further divided into zones/sub-divisions of similar housing types/conditions
and tentative observation of density or based on similar pattern for survey within
the study area.
As accommodation density and population density are calculated for same unit of
area, these can be compared to reach at number of persons (occupancy rate) per
habitable room. Thus it is used to determine whether particular area is under
utilized or over-utilised. This information can be used in future planning to decide
which areas are to be decongested and in which areas density can be increased.

Population Density
occupancy rate =
Accommodation density
Density Surveys

Non-Residential density Survey :

This survey seeks to obtain twofold information about study area; first, a statement of
the total area devoted to different classes of land use within the non-residential area,
distinguishing only between quite distinct kinds of use, e.g. shop, office, place of
assembly. Second, the intensity of use of each street blocks in the non-residential
area in terms of its overall FSI. The FSI survey gives some idea whether the amount of
land requires be increasing or reducing for different land uses.

Fact sheet for non-residential survey 2

Reference

1. John RatCliffe : An Introduction to Town & country planning

2. URDPFI Guidelines 2014