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Generalised Land Use Statistics

February 2007

Introduction

England is a highly urbanised and densely populated country in which pressures on land from a myriad of users are extreme. Reliable and up-to-date geo-referenced information on land use is required to provide a basis for the sustainable development of land resources in both urban and rural contexts and to inform the development of policies across all areas of human activity, including planning and regeneration, housing, employment, agriculture, environment and recreation. As the lead organisation responsible for planning and land use matters the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has established the (External) National Land Use Database (NLUD) project . This project provides a framework for land use research and the development of a comprehensive, complete and consistent source of land use information at the national level based on a standard land use classification.

In response to short-term demands for land use information at the local and neighbourhood level, DCLG has also developed a less detailed "Generalised Land Use Database (GLUD) for England". Using a simplified nine category classification (see below), this database shows the amount and proportion of land in each category. The exercise was originally based on 2001 data using local authority wards (see the archived article on Generalised Land Use Statistics in Lancashire ) but this has now been replaced with more up-to-date 2005 information to provide a more accurate picture of local land types. These latest figures remain "experimental statistics" in that the methodology and quality are still being enhanced. Nonetheless they are considered sufficiently robust to provide some useful insights into major land uses and provide a basis for comparing the extent, distribution and spatial variation in such land uses between similarly defined administrative areas. Because of the enhancements to the methodology underlying the latest 2005 data, the land use statistics cannot be compared with the 2001 statistics for time series analysis.

The Generalised Land Use Database categorises land parcels into nine key themes as follows:

• Domestic buildings
• Non-domestic buildings
• Roads
• Paths
• Rail
• Gardens (domestic)
• Greenspace
• Water
• Other land uses (largely hardstanding – e.g. a tarred car park, estate road and hard tennis courts)

In some districts there is a tiny residual "unclassified" category but accounting for only about 1.5ha of Lancashire's total area its impact is negligible.

Data on the different land types is available for Census Output Areas (OAs), Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs), Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs), local authorities and Government Office Regions in England as at January 2005. (External) Full downloads for all these statistics are available from National Statistics. Data relating to all the areas listed above can be obtained from the Lancashire Profile Data Download Centre . GLUD 2005 data at the level of Census Area Statistics wards (2003 definition) have been derived separately and are also included within the Lancashire Profile download.

The data in these downloads are presented in thousands of square metres (000m2), to 2 decimal places. The statistics are therefore accurate to the nearest 10m2. Where there is no area of a given land type, a zero is shown in the cell. Where there is some area, but less than 5m2, this is shown by a dash (-) in the cell. Users wishing to work in hectares should divide the figures provided by 10,000.

The simple classification used in this exercise provides the framework for analysis of land for each of the published geographical areas. According to guidance provided by National Statistics: "The statistics provide a basis for comparing (for example) the availability of green space between administrative areas, and also provide input into analyses of housing density, and thus the capacity for building new housing. The GLUD statistics improve the local area evidence base on neighbourhood renewal, and support the creation of sustainable communities. This helps to raise the quality of life for people in urban areas, and other communities, as outlined in Communities & Local Government's strategic priorities and public service agreements."

Lancashire Results

Not unexpectedly for a shire region, the principal land use in the Lancashire NUTS-2 area in 2005 was "greenspace" (Tables 1 and 2, and Figures 1 and 2). Covering 266,866 hectares this category accounted for over 82% of the sub-region's total land use (England=88%) in a wide range that extended from a share as high as 95% in the rural Ribble Valley to just 29% in Blackpool whose administrative boundaries tightly delimit much of the urban area. Other than this clear urban/rural divide, the land use structure of most districts in Lancashire has close similarities. The main exception is land use under the "water" category, particularly in the North Lancashire districts where it accounts for between 11-15% of the total land use. This is something of a statistical anomaly rather than reflecting genuine land uses like ponds, lakes and reservoirs because many coastal output area boundaries extend over the foreshore to the low water mark and thus encompass large areas of coastal waters.

Generalised Land Uses, Lancashire Source ONS - Land Use Statistics, 2005
Table 1 Generalised Land Use Statistics, Lancashire, 2005 (hectares)
 
Domestic buildings
Gardens
Non-domestic buildings
Road
Rail
 
 
 
 
 
 
North Lancashire
1,562.8
793.9
2,905.7
128.9
176.6
Blackpool
408.1
185.6
603.4
32.2
29.8
Fylde
317.6
165.6
579.9
20.9
35.3
Lancaster
429.9
260.3
988.9
52.7
74.6
Wyre
407.2
182.4
733.5
23.1
36.9
 
 
 
 
 
 
Central Lancashire
1,449.5
868.2
2,834.9
176.1
143.1
Chorley
343.6
155.7
695.4
39.8
34.5
Preston
371.6
254.2
754.8
44.5
35.9
South Ribble
347.7
185.8
594.3
26.7
35.6
West Lancashire
386.6
272.5
790.4
65.1
37.0
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lancashire West
3,012.3
1,662.1
5,740.6
305.0
319.7
 
 
 
 
 
 
East Lancashire
1,562.1
1,024.7
3,093.3
159.2
106.1
Blackburn with Darwen
368.4
275.8
649.9
48.2
31.6
Burnley
255.4
164.9
492.4
30.3
21.5
Hyndburn
238.7
143.2
438.5
25.0
12.7
Pendle
253.6
164.8
511.5
23.3
7.5
Ribble Valley
247.7
161.0
599.9
13.7
27.4
Rossendale
198.4
114.9
401.1
18.7
5.3
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lancashire County
3,798.0
2,225.3
7,580.5
383.8
364.4
Lancashire NUTS-2
4,574.4
2,686.7
8,833.8
464.1
425.8
 
 
 
 
 
 
North West
20,131.3
12,016.8
40,055.5
2,144.4
2,504.6
England
150,770.4
86,894.9
294,958.8
14,343.6
17,935.0 Table 1 continued
 
Path
Greenspace
Water
Other
Total
 
 
 
 
 
 
North Lancashire
4,341.5
92,142.6
17,542.1
1,582.6
121,175.9
Blackpool
882.9
1,067.9
431.3
230.6
3,871.8
Fylde
906.3
14,010.9
2,918.9
405.4
19,360.7
Lancaster
1,271.7
52,447.8
9,469.9
534.7
65,530.7
Wyre
1,280.5
24,616.0
4,722.1
411.9
32,413.6
 
 
 
 
 
 
Central Lancashire
5,060.3
66,701.1
2,402.0
2,023.4
81,659.2
Chorley
1,247.9
16,788.8
465.5
372.6
20,144.5
Preston
1,086.5
11,035.4
237.5
416.9
14,237.1
South Ribble
1,203.7
8,382.0
207.3
577.9
11,561.0
West Lancashire
1,522.2
30,494.9
1,491.7
656.1
35,716.6
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lancashire West
9,401.8
158,843.7
19,944.1
3,606.1
202,836.1
 
 
 
 
 
 
East Lancashire
3,838.2
108,022.3
1,741.2
1,496.6
121,044.5
Blackburn with Darwen
894.8
10,704.8
345.9
356.5
13,675.9
Burnley
556.8
9,042.6
172.4
206.5
10,942.7
Hyndburn
467.1
5,649.4
116.9
189.7
7,281.5
Pendle
623.7
15,111.7
224.9
243.1
17,163.5
Ribble Valley
771.4
55,636.9
715.5
298.0
58,472.2
Rossendale
525.0
11,876.9
165.6
202.8
13,508.7
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lancashire County
11,462.3
255,093.3
20,908.2
4,515.6
306,332.9
Lancashire NUTS-2
13,240.0
266,866.0
21,685.3
5,106.7
323,880.6
 
 
 
 
 
 
North West
61,933.4
1,231,006.5
91,907.8
23,320.9
1,485,030.7
England
564,514.0
11,574,162.5
343,619.9
185,020.5
13,232,372.2
Source ONS - Land Use Statistics, 2005
Figure 2 Generalised Land Use, 2005, Lancashire and Districts

Generalised Land Uses, Lancashire Source ONS - Land Use Statistics, 2005
Table 2 Generalised Land Use Statistics, Lancashire, 2005 (%)
 
Domestic buildings
Gardens
Non-domestic buildings
Road
Rail
 
 
 
 
 
 
North Lancashire
1.3
0.7
2.4
0.1
0.2
Blackpool
10.5
4.8
15.6
0.8
0.8
Fylde
1.6
0.9
3.0
0.1
0.2
Lancaster
0.7
0.4
1.5
0.1
0.1
Wyre
1.3
0.6
2.3
0.1
0.1
 
 
 
 
 
 
Central Lancashire
1.8
1.1
3.5
0.2
0.2
Chorley
1.7
0.8
3.5
0.2
0.2
Preston
2.6
1.8
5.3
0.3
0.3
South Ribble
3.0
1.6
5.1
0.2
0.3
West Lancashire
1.1
0.8
2.2
0.2
0.1
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lancashire West
1.5
0.8
2.8
0.2
0.2
 
 
 
 
 
 
East Lancashire
1.3
0.9
2.6
0.1
0.1
Blackburn with Darwen
2.7
2.0
4.8
0.4
0.2
Burnley
2.3
1.5
4.5
0.3
0.2
Hyndburn
3.3
2.0
6.0
0.3
0.2
Pendle
1.5
1.0
3.0
0.1
0.0
Ribble Valley
0.4
0.3
1.0
0.0
0.1
Rossendale
1.5
0.9
3.0
0.1
0.0
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lancashire County
1.2
0.7
2.5
0.1
0.1
Lancashire NUTS-2
1.4
0.8
2.7
0.1
0.1
 
 
 
 
 
 
North West
1.4
0.8
2.7
0.1
0.2
England
1.1
0.7
2.2
0.1
0.1 Table 2 continued
 
Path
Greenspace
Water
Other
Total
 
 
 
 
 
 
North Lancashire
3.6
76.0
14.5
1.3
100.0
Blackpool
22.8
27.6
11.1
6.0
100.0
Fylde
4.7
72.4
15.1
2.1
100.0
Lancaster
1.9
80.0
14.5
0.8
100.0
Wyre
4.0
75.9
14.6
1.3
100.0
 
 
 
 
 
 
Central Lancashire
6.2
81.7
2.9
2.5
100.0
Chorley
6.2
83.3
2.3
1.9
100.0
Preston
7.6
77.5
1.7
2.9
100.0
South Ribble
10.4
72.5
1.8
5.0
100.0
West Lancashire
4.3
85.4
4.2
1.8
100.0
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lancashire West
4.6
78.3
9.8
1.8
100.0
 
 
 
 
 
 
East Lancashire
3.2
89.2
1.4
1.2
100.0
Blackburn with Darwen
6.5
78.3
2.5
2.6
100.0
Burnley
5.1
82.6
1.6
1.9
100.0
Hyndburn
6.4
77.6
1.6
2.6
100.0
Pendle
3.6
88.1
1.3
1.4
100.0
Ribble Valley
1.3
95.2
1.2
0.5
100.0
Rossendale
3.9
87.9
1.2
1.5
100.0
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lancashire County
3.7
83.3
6.8
1.5
100.0
Lancashire NUTS-2
4.1
82.4
6.7
1.6
100.0
 
 
 
 
 
 
North West
4.2
82.9
6.2
1.6
100.0
England
4.3
87.5
2.6
1.4
100.0
Source ONS - Land Use Database Statistics, 2005

The following thematic statistical maps, Figures 3 to 7, are illustrative of selective land uses within Lancashire Lower Layer Super Output Areas. Figure 8, showing the distribution of domestic gardens across much of Preston district, is illustrative of the detail in these Land Use statistics at the level of Census Output Area.

Generalised Land Uses, Lancashire Source ONS - Land Use Statistics, 2005
Figure 4 Percentage of Land Use as Domestic Gardens, 2005

Generalised Land Uses, Lancashire Source ONS - Land Use Statistics, 2005
Figure 5 Percentage of Land Use as Domestic and Non-Domestic Buildings, 2005

Generalised Land Uses, Lancashire Source ONS - Land Use Statistics, 2005
Figure 6 Percentage of Land Use as Road, Rail and Path, 2005

Generalised Land Uses, Lancashire Source ONS - Land Use Statistics, 2005
Figure 7 Percentage of Land Use as Water, 2005

Generalised Land Uses, Lancashire Source ONS - Land Use Statistics, 2005
Figure 8 Percentage of Land Use as Domestic Gardens in Preston, 2005, by Census Output Areas

Generalised Land Uses, Lancashire Source ONS - Land Use Statistics, 2005 Generalised Land Use

This page was compiled by Peter Kivell .

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