Settlement & Urbanisation · Why Here?
Enquiry: Why do settlements grow, and who experiences the effects differently?
Learning objective: I can explain settlement growth through a connected causal chain, weigh a counter-factor and reach a qualified judgement.
Vocabulary: settlement · urbanisation · land use · accessibility · driver · stakeholder · brownfield · sustainability
CONSTRUCTED CLASSROOM RESOURCE: This fictional composite is inspired by the broad Teesside setting. It is not official data, is not to scale and must not be used for navigation, safety or real-world planning.
Lesson 2 of 6 evidence pack · Teesbridge Change Series
| Year | Population | Built land | Urban share of fictional region | Manufacturing jobs | Service jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 18,000 | 6 km² | 54% | 46% | 22% |
| 1980 | 31,000 | 11 km² | 67% | 38% | 35% |
| 2000 | 39,000 | 16 km² | 73% | 20% | 52% |
| 2025 | 47,000 | 21 km² | 79% | 12% | 68% |
Causal-chain cards
A new crossing reduces journey time.
Firms value access to labour and markets.
Jobs and services attract some households.
Housing and built land expand near accessible sites.
Some residents gain access; others face cost or displacement pressure.
Open-land and travel impacts create a planning trade-off.
Planning choices: brownfield homes · edge expansion · bus investment · riverside green space. There is no perfect score: identify who gains, who bears a cost and what evidence is missing.
Evidence boundary: Teacher-approved/licensed sources retain title, author/producer, date, origin, scale and rights/use. No personal/family location or migration disclosure is required.