Land Use and Functions (Leaving Cert Geography): Revision Notes

Land Use and Functions

Aerial photographs are powerful tools that allow us to identify and understand different land uses and functions across landscapes. By recognising specific patterns, shapes, colours, and spatial arrangements, we can distinguish between various economic activities and urban functions.

Primary activities

Primary activities involve the direct extraction or use of natural resources and are typically located in rural areas.

Agriculture

• Pastoral farming: Appears as green fields or areas where animals graze
• Arable farming: Recognised through freshly ploughed fields (dark brown/black) or yellow fields showing ripening crops
• Agricultural land typically shows regular field patterns divided by hedgerows or walls

Forestry

• Coniferous forests: Display uniform, dark green areas indicating planted state forests
• Native woodlands: Usually appear as irregular patches of mixed vegetation, commonly found within historic parks and protected areas

Renewable energy

• Wind farms: Clearly visible white structures with rotating blades, typically located in rural areas away from housing developments
• Solar panels: Appear as dark, rectangular installations on building rooftops

Horticulture

• Glasshouses: Distinctive rectangular or curved structures used for growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers
• These facilities are typically located near urban areas to provide easier access to markets

Secondary activities

Secondary activities involve manufacturing and processing of raw materials.

Industrial land use

Factories and industrial buildings can be identified by several characteristics:

Tertiary activities

Tertiary activities provide services to people and businesses. These are the most diverse category of land uses visible in aerial photographs.

Educational services

Schools, colleges, and universities can be challenging to identify from aerial views. Key identification features include:

• Playing fields or tarmac courts surrounding buildings
• Green flag initiatives visible as gardens or green spaces
• Organised building layouts with multiple structures

Tourism services

Tourist facilities are identified through various recreational infrastructure:

• Tourist offices and information centres
• Hostels and accommodation facilities
• Caravan sites and camping areas
• Golf courses with distinctive fairways and greens
• Historical sites such as castles and heritage buildings

Transport services

Transportation infrastructure includes:

• Road networks of varying sizes
• Railway lines and stations
• Airports with runways and terminals
• Car parks and bus stations
• These create linear patterns across the landscape

Market and retail services

• Traditional markets and retail areas are located in the CBD
• Shopping centres are typically found on town outskirts, surrounded by extensive parking spaces
• Retail parks show regular patterns of large, rectangular buildings with associated car parks

Port facilities

Harbours and ports are easily identified by their waterside location and specific infrastructure:

• Quays, piers, and jetties extending into water
• Container storage areas
• Cranes and loading equipment
• These features indicate maritime trade and transport functions

Ecclesiastical functions

Religious buildings and associated land uses include:

• Churches and cathedrals with distinctive architectural features
• Graveyards showing regular patterns of headstones
• Often located in central areas of towns and cities

Medical services

Healthcare facilities can be identified through:

• Hospitals with large building complexes
• Clinics and medical centres
• Ambulances parked in organised rows
• These are typically located with good transport access

Protection services

Emergency and security services are visible through:

• Garda stations and police facilities
• Fire stations with distinctive vehicle bays
• These provide essential protective functions for communities

Residential land use

There are five main types of housing that can be distinguished from aerial photographs:

1. Detached houses: Stand alone buildings separated from neighbouring properties by hedges or gardens
2. Semi-detached houses: Two houses joined together, typically found in housing estates
3. Terraced houses: Multiple houses joined in continuous rows, usually located on streets close to town centres or in older housing developments
4. Apartments: Multi-storey buildings divided into multiple residential units, often featuring balconies
5. Bungalows: Single-storey houses, typically located on the outskirts of urban areas

Each housing type reflects different periods of development and planning policies, creating distinct patterns visible from above.

Recreational land use

Recreational areas serve community leisure and social needs:

• Parks showing green spaces with paths and facilities
• Sports fields with marked pitches and courts
• Walking and cycling routes
• These areas provide important quality of life benefits for residents

Traffic management

Understanding traffic patterns and management strategies is crucial when analysing urban areas from aerial photographs.

Congestion hotspots

Traffic congestion is likely to occur in several key locations:

• Narrow streets that restrict vehicle flow
• Crossroads and junctions where multiple streets meet
• Main shopping areas with high pedestrian and vehicle activity
• Near schools during drop-off and pick-up times
• Bridge approaches and river crossings

Reducing traffic congestion

Various traffic management measures are visible from aerial photographs:

• Pedestrianised streets: Shopping areas where vehicles are excluded to reduce congestion
• One-way systems: Help improve traffic flow on narrow streets
• Roundabouts: Allow more constant traffic flow compared to traditional junctions
• Ring roads and bypasses: Divert traffic around town centres
• Yellow box junctions: Prevent vehicles from blocking intersections
• Off-street parking: Reduces street-side parking that narrows roads
• Double yellow lines: Prevent parking on streets to maintain traffic flow

Future economic development

When planning new developments, three key factors must be considered: site characteristics, transport accessibility, and environmental impact.

Site considerations

Greenfield sites offer several advantages:

• Cheaper and easier to build on flat land
• Located on town outskirts, allowing for future expansion
• Space for essential services like parking and loading areas
• Originally agricultural or unused land that has been rezoned for development

Brownfield sites present different challenges and opportunities:

• Contain old buildings that have become vacant
• More expensive to purchase and redevelop
• Often located in areas with excellent market access
• Require remediation but can revitalise urban areas

Transport accessibility

New developments require excellent transport connections:

• Access to roads and motorways for goods and people movement
• Railway connections for efficient transport
• Proximity to ports and airports for international trade
• Good transport links reduce costs and improve business efficiency

Environmental considerations

Environmental protection is crucial in development planning:

• New developments must avoid parks, historic sites, and other preserved areas
• Factories should not be located too close to residential areas due to noise pollution
• Avoid building in areas with existing traffic congestion problems
• Maintain green spaces and environmental corridors