Spatial analysis and the measurement of urban sprawl

The thesis extends the research of the SCATTER project which evaluates the understanding of urban sprawl in Europe and examines methods for quantifying sprawl. The thesis extends this by examining the extent to which the definition and identification of sprawl is influenced by the nature of the indicators and measures used, and on the scale at which they are applied. It assesses the suitability of measures used in the US context for the polycentric pattern of European cities. Measures used in the European context have been based on land use densities - this is extended to incorporate measures based on urban form and land use patterns. The findings highlight the difficulties inherent in defining and measuring sprawl, as sprawl is a complex phenomenon with experts in the regions often unable to agree on the patterns and consequences of this type of urban growth. It is not so much a specific land use pattern or set of patterns as a manifestation of concerns which are common features of modern urban growth - regardless of urban form - and which emerge from the emphasis of interpretation and the dimensions of interest to local administrators and land use authorities. The research has identified that measures are sensitive to the spatial area used - even areas with some similarities, such as county and travel to work areas or district and urban areas do not produce consistent results. In Europe therefore measuring sprawl is also complicated by the fact that self contained subcentres set in low density rural areas may contribute to sprawl in the city centre, yet this is not identified by traditional measures of sprawl which assume that areas related to the urban centre are contiguous