Access and an urban development decision
Compare housing, access and deprivation without treating district averages as individual experience.
Access and an urban development decision
Original fictional unfamiliar-resource pack. Work across the resources; each describes the same teaching scenario. This is not an official examination paper or a real project forecast.
Journey network linking representative district centres to the clinic at D
Scroll the diagram sideways to see the full resource.
| From | To | Journey time (min) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | B | 4 | Open |
| B | D | 8 | Open |
| A | C | 4 | Open |
| C | D | 3 | Closed |
| B | C | 10 | Open |
Resource description
Use only open links. Add stated journey times, rather than measuring the drawing. The route times are a simplified fictional model; waiting, congestion and individual access needs are not supplied. Each district is represented at its lettered node. This does not locate every resident at that point.
District populations and access
| District | Population | Area (km²) | Modelled journey to clinic at D (minutes) | Low-income households (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District A | 17000 | 11 | 12 | 26 |
| District B | 29000 | 6 | 8 | 34 |
| District C | 15000 | 9 | 16 | 28 |
| District D | 17000 | 4 | 0 | 41 |
Resource description
Access time is the shortest open network route from each representative district node to D, excluding walking and waiting. Household percentages cannot be multiplied by population as if people were households.
Housing proposals linked to management alternatives
| Option | District | New homes enabled | Existing homes improved | Infrastructure cost (£ million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownfield housing with bus access | District A | 400 | 0 | 12 |
| Edge-of-town housing | District B | 300 | 0 | 9 |
| Improve access and existing housing | District C | 0 | 500 | 7 |
Resource description
These are the same three management alternatives listed below. Infrastructure costs exclude private construction. Current district access is a baseline, not a forecast of access after development.
Management alternatives
| Option | Capital cost (£ million) | Benefit | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brownfield housing with bus access | 12 | Reuses developed land; Enables 400 new homes in District A | Remediation costs may increase; affordability needs explicit provision; Future access changes need a separate forecast; current journey times are only the baseline |
| Edge-of-town housing | 9 | Enables an undeveloped site; Enables 300 new homes in District B | May increase car dependence and consume undeveloped land; Future access changes need a separate forecast; current journey times are only the baseline |
| Improve access and existing housing | 7 | Benefits current residents and may reduce displacement; Improves 500 existing homes in District C | Does not enable new homes; Future access changes need a separate forecast; current journey times are only the baseline |
Resource description
Available capital budget: £15 million. Options are alternatives; their benefits cannot simply be added. Operating costs are separate.
Options
Brownfield housing with bus access
Capital cost: £12 million
Reuses developed land
Enables 400 new homes in District A
Remediation costs may increase; affordability needs explicit provision
Future access changes need a separate forecast; current journey times are only the baseline
Edge-of-town housing
Capital cost: £9 million
Enables an undeveloped site
Enables 300 new homes in District B
May increase car dependence and consume undeveloped land
Future access changes need a separate forecast; current journey times are only the baseline
Improve access and existing housing
Capital cost: £7 million
Benefits current residents and may reduce displacement
Improves 500 existing homes in District C
Does not enable new homes
Future access changes need a separate forecast; current journey times are only the baseline
Stakeholder statements
Tenant representative: New housing should be affordable to existing residents.
Transport planner: Scheduled journey time is only part of door-to-door access.
Local employer: Workers need reliable access at the hours we operate.
Limits of this resource model
- No claim is made about the needs of every individual in a district.
- Population density is not a measure of deprivation.