Land Use Planning Models

Land Use Planning Models(Quick Notes + MCQ Quiz)

Focused on land-use structure, land value patterns, and urban growth form. Quiz questions are shown immediately after the notes.

Comparison Chart (Author • Year • Keywords)

Theory / Model	Author	Year (classic)	Keywords (exam triggers)	Land-use planning takeaway
Bid Rent Theory	William Alonso	1964	CBD rent peak, distance-decay, land-use competition	Why commercial uses cluster near CBD; land values fall with distance.
Alonso–Muth–Mills	Alonso / Muth / Mills	1960s–70s	commuting vs space, density gradient, suburbanization	Density and housing location explained via commuting-cost tradeoff.
Concentric Zone Model	Ernest Burgess	1925	CBD → transition → working → better → commuter belt	Basic CBD-centric ring pattern (classic industrial city).
Sector Model	Homer Hoyt	1939	wedge growth, corridors, high-income sector	Corridor-based land use along major transport routes.
Multiple Nuclei Model	Harris & Ullman	1945	polycentric city, specialized nodes, incompatibility	Modern metros: airport, IT hub, university node, industrial estates.
Urban Realms Model	James E. Vance Jr.	1960s	suburban realms, mini-CBDs	Metropolitan regions with semi-independent sub-centers.
Edge City	Joel Garreau	1991	jobs+retail nodes, highways, ring roads	Explains office parks/malls at interchanges; CBD declines.
Von Thünen Model	J. H. von Thünen	1826	agricultural rings, perishability, transport cost	Peri-urban land use: market gardening nearer; extensive uses farther.
Central Place Theory	Walter Christaller	1933	threshold, range, service hierarchy	Facility location planning and service catchments.
Neighborhood Unit	Clarence Perry	1929	school-centered, walkability, roads hierarchy	Neighborhood-level land-use layout and traffic calming logic.
Rent Gap	Neil Smith	1979	potential vs current ground rent, reinvestment	Inner-city redevelopment and gentrification dynamics.
Filtering (Housing)	Housing economics concept	c. 1950s	older stock moves down-income over time	Used to discuss affordability, replacement and renewal impacts.

One-line memory: Burgess = Rings Hoyt = Wedges Harris–Ullman = Many centers Alonso = Rent gradient

MCQ Quiz (Land Use Planning Models)

Questions are shown below. Click Check Score to see answers + explanations.