The measurement of spatial opportunity in strategic planning

Abstract

Breheny M. J. (1978) The measurement of spatial opportunity in strategic planning, Reg. Studies 12, 463–479. In recent years interest in accessibility has increased due both to the energy crisis and to the realisation that accessibility affects the real income of different groups in the community. The more common measures of accessibility, namely those based on travel-behaviour and potential, are, however, seen to have a number of shortcomings in this context. Measures of ‘spatial opportunity’ are proposed which omit some of these shortcomings and have the added advantage of simplicity. The nature of these measures is demonstrated through their practical application on data for Gloucestershire. Examples are shown of the use of the measures to give both sectoral and geographical disaggregations in analytical and forecast situations.