Understanding Private Preferences in Urban Development—Analysing Spatial Patterns of Food Discount Stores Locations in Switzerland

Hengstermann, Andreas Heinrich; Jehling, Mathias (2023). Understanding Private Preferences in Urban Development—Analysing Spatial Patterns of Food Discount Stores Locations in Switzerland. Sustainability, 15(7), pp. 1-16. MDPI 10.3390/su15076015

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This paper examines the spatial pattern of food discount stores in Switzerland, where private actors made location decisions without interference from planning regulations until 2016. Using aerial images and a classification scheme with functional and morphological attributes, the study shows that the majority of discount stores were built in peripheral commercial areas or greenfield sites as solitary buildings, indicating a preference for minimal land acquisition costs and car orientation. Some integrated central locations were also chosen. The average density measured by floor area ratio was low. The results suggest that without planning intervention, private actors’ decisions would lead to sprawled settlement patterns with high ecological and societal costs. Further research is needed to explore the potential role of planning in mitigating this effect.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Human Geography > Unit Political urbanism and sutainable spatial development
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Human Geography
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography

UniBE Contributor:

Hengstermann, Andreas Heinrich

Subjects:

900 History > 910 Geography & travel
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 320 Political science
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 330 Economics

ISSN:

2071-1050

Publisher:

MDPI

Language:

English

Submitter:

Andreas Heinrich Hengstermann

Date Deposited:

30 Jun 2023 08:58

Last Modified:

30 Jun 2023 08:58

Publisher DOI:

10.3390/su15076015

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/184272

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/184272

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