The persistence of suburban centres in Greater London: combining Conzenian and space syntax approaches

Abstract

The relationship between settlement form and the historical persistence of concentrations of diverse socio-economic activity in Greater London’s suburban centres through successive phases of rapid urban transformation is examined. Particular consideration is given to the development of three suburbs in Greater London: Barnet, South Norwood and Surbiton. Conzenian and space syntax approaches are combined within an integrated GIS environment. Both these approaches identify the historical grain of settlement forms as the key to understanding how socio-economic activity becomes organized in the built environment. Using Surbiton as a case study the analysis demonstrates firstly, how the configuration of Greater London’s historical road network relates to the persistence of socio-economic activity in the built environment over time, and secondly, how diverse, localized patterns of such activity are accessible at a range of morphological scales. It is concluded that the relationship between suburban built form and socioeconomic activity is both configurational and historical in nature.