NEWRUR : urbaN prEssure on RURal areas
Work Package number 2 :
D 2.4 - Introduction to Newrur Typology of Periurban Rural Areas and Analysis of their
Diversity
Newrur first work-package main results are an identification of urban zones, that is to say
zones considered as urban that would be likely to lead to periurbanisation processes on
surrounding rural areas, and a preliminary detection of rural periurban zones, notably based
on analysis of spill-over effects from the most important urban zones, called major urban
zones, over close rural areas. These effects have been described with the help of indicators
reflecting differences in population density or in population growth rates between periurban
areas and more rural areas, or inclusion into big cities commuters catchment areas. This
analysis permitted to select, in each Newrur country (France, Germany, Greece, Spain and
UK), some NUTS2 regions particularly faced with periurbanisation.
1) Scope on rur
zones diversity
factors
Newrur second work-package aims are to reveal the diversity of rural periurban areas. 2) Construction
typologies of rur
According to Newrur technical annex, this work-package relies partly on the previous results
zones
recalled above, but its main objective is to characterise more deeply the variety of
periurbanisation processes in the selected NUTS2 regions. Here, periurbanisation will not be
reduced to spill-over effects: it will be analysed more broadly as resulting from processes of
spatial and functional integration of rural areas into urban-dominated systems. A synthetic 3) The main diver
approach of links between rural and urban areas in touch with these integration processes factors of rural or
periurban rura
lead to reveal a periurbanisation gradient that puts in evidence contrasts between more or
zones
less periurban rural areas (see research report D 2.2 Introduction to a Method for Detecting
and Classifying Periurban Areas). Then, the diversity illustrated through periurbanisation
gradient has then been integrated into more general analyses of diversity factors prevailing in
rural periurban areas. Typologies taking into account the periurbanisation gradient and other
effects not directly in touch with periurbanisation processes will precise the role played by
periurbanisation among the main diversity factors of rural zones. They lead to analyse more
deeply the role played either by some common diversity factors that concern not only the
periurban zones, or by some specific factors that concern only the periurban zones.
The results of these analyses and their issues in terms of typologies of rural periurban
developed in this research report are summarized below.
The complete version can be asked to Cemagref, who was Newrur first work-package coordinator.
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1) Scope on rural zones diversity factors
The main assumption is that rural zones diversity is due as well to factors in touch with periurbanisation processes
lead to reinforce urban-rural linkages, as to other factors that concern not only periurban but also not periurban
zones. That leads to study in depth the rural zones diversity through its main different aspects (types of land use
demographic evolutions, of social changes, of economic changes, of space organisation patterns, etc.), and to ana
how far these specific aspects of rural zones diversity can be considered as reflecting some direct or indirect effec
periurbanisation processes, or are to be considered as linked with more general trends, that reveal other dive
factors. The typologies to establish will sum up the main diversity factors prevailing on the rural zones of the sele
NUTS2 regions. The analysis will start with a preliminary identification of possible diversity aspects suggested t
studied by each Newrur research team.
Obviously, rural zones diversity is particularly revealed by the variety of land uses and of their changes. Rural zo
may be concerned by major trends, like agricultural land uses reduction or wooded areas extension. It seems impo
to focus on some conspicuous effects of periurbanisation, as for example development of build-up areas or of
infrastructures.
Another usual approach of rural zones diversity is based on analysis of demographic or social changes. Such cha
often occur in periurban areas, but also in more rural areas. They may be illustrated for instance by migrations (arr
and departures from or to urban zones or other rural zones, arrival or departures for professional reasons
retirement, etc), by changes in the social composition of the population (declines of percentage of farmers, increas
share of upper classes or of single persons households); they may be different in periurban and in not periurban
areas. These changes can have important effects on the land market (increase of prices due to the scarcity of bui
land) and on personal services distribution (demand for daily nurseries, etc.).
Another suggested aspect deals with ways of life and living conditions of the inhabitants. They appear to be more
more similar in urban and in periurban areas, and more and more different to those in other rural ar
Periurbanisation can lead to develop in periurban zones services that supply not only these zones, but also other
zones; it may result a decrease in the density of these services in non-periurban rural zones. About living conditions
presence of big estates of one family houses can be a distinctive characteristic of periurban zones, the developme
housing in the other rural zones taking rather other forms, like second homes or isolated one family houses.
Rates of activity or of unemployment can also reveal some contrasts between rural zones. However, it is not sure
possible contrasts will reflect really other phenomena that differences of demographic structures or demogra
evolutions. Employment evolution characteristics can however be analysed in case of special emphasis on ques
related to activity or unemployment. On the contrary, contrasts linked with economic development may be consid
as central for this scope of rural zones diversity. A preliminary study of some particular activities performed in periu
or non periurban rural areas can lead to focus on other points, like the dissemination of business enterprise service
relocations of industrial activities into the rural zones. However, it seems important to study especially some activ
like agriculture, tourism or the retail trade, which play an important role in the rural areas, and generally have evolve
different ways under the effects of periurbanisation.
Environmental aspects may be worth to be taken into account, though more difficult to analyse. Contrasts between
areas may be due to differences in levels of recognition of their environmental value or differences in the way
participate to environmental services, for example water supply and purification, or refuse collection, or supp
tourism or leisure amenities.
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2) Construction of typologies of rural zones
In the method developed to assess rural zones diversity, each research team had to select relevant numeri
expressed indicators, referring to various thematic fields suggested above, that would be appropriate to illustrate
zones diversity in the selected NUTS2 regions. The second step is strictly speaking the construction of typologies
will be obtained by cluster analysis of sets of relevant indicators. The following step is the interpretation of th
typologies, notably the main contrasts they underscore and the linkages between these contrasts and the rural zo
positions towards periurbanisation illustrated by the periurbanisation gradient. The final step is to cross these gen
typologies with the periurbanisation gradient’s rural zones classifications into more or les periurban zones, in ord
describe more accurately the periurban rural areas diversity and the specific role played by periurbanisation factors
these zones diversity.
It was requested to base on the same indicators in the different NUTS2 regions selected within each Newrur country
national comparison purposes. But the indicators may be quite different from one country to another, for data availa
reasons and because the effects of the periurbanisation may differ from one country to another. The typologies w
not be directly compared between countries: their aim would be to reveal the diversity of the distinctive characteristi
the rural zones in Newrur countries.
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3) The main diversity factors of rural or of periurban rural zones
In some cases, the main diversity factors identified through the typologies established are more or less the sam
those that had been expressed through the periurbanisation gradient. That would mean that the diversity of rural zo
is noticeably due to differences in intensity of linkages between rural and urban zones that reveal periurbanis
trends. In other cases, a wide range of diversity factors could be isolated; these factors concern as well periurban
zones as other rural zones.
France :
In that country, two typologies have been established. The first one has been established for all the rural zones o
selected NUTS2 regions, Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. The second one refers only to their m
periurban rural zones, identified through the periurbanisation gradient.
They are based on a wide range of indicat
covering several aspects: land use, demogra
housing, access to everyday services, lab
force
participation,
economic
activi
agriculture, tourism and environment. In orde
reveal diversity factors that could be linked
periurbanisation, the analysis focused
indicators that would illustrate differences,
sometimes oppositions, between periurban r
and non-periurban rural zones taken as a wh
This led to identify and to organize int
hierarchy the main diversity factors that pla
role for all the rural zones or for the periur
ones.
For all the rural zones, the main diversity fac
identified
refer
to
tourism,
demogra
attractiveness, types of economic activi
location of jobs and, lastly, access to every
services. This led to a typology of the rural zo
that distinguishes tourist rural zones, attrac
rural zones, industrial rural zones, agricult
rural zones and autonomous or dependent f
urban zones for jobs rural zones. This typo
has been compared to the classification of r
zones through the periurbanisation gradient: m
of the types distinguished in the typology inc
some more or less strongly periurban rural zo
That would mean that periurbanisation is only
factor, among several other factors, like activ
structure, that play a role in all rural zo
diversity.
For the periurban rural zones only, the same diversity factors were identified, though they rank in a different order
instance, types of economic activities do not differentiate fundamentally these zones. That means that effects of th
factors are smoothed out by a more important factor, which is the strength of the linkages with urban zones. In that
periurban rural zones diversity is revealed first and foremost by the periurbanisation gradient, and secondarily by o
factors.
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Germany :
The analysis performed by the German team took into account not all the rural municipalities of the Upper Bav
(Oberbayern) region, but focused on some spatial categories identified in the Regional Development Programme
classification, namely the “outer densified areas in conurbations” or the “rural areas close to conurbations”, tha
likely to include potentially periurban areas.
In fact, these areas can be considered as including “growing municipalities”, with regard to demographic dynam
development of employment opportunities, attractiveness for younger families and migrants from urban areas, hou
conditions or other aspects. Other characteristics refer to municipalities’ incomes from local wages or business taxe
that way, a large set of indicators, illustrating theses characteristics, helped to study more deeply the diversity of th
areas.
A cluster analysis led to distinguish six main types of periurban areas, divided in 15 sub-types. The main dive
factors revealed by this typology refer to economic development or employment characteristics (employment gro
share of industry, trade or transport), to demographic or population characteristics (population growth, younger
older), to land uses (share of open spaces), to newly built dwellings and in some cases to revenues from local taxa
Nevertheless, some clusters include a low number of municipalities, for instance municipalities with high to
accommodation capacities near of Alps. As for land uses, that diversity factor had not been taken into account in
periurbanisation gradient. However, in a general way, the main diversity factors revealed by the analysis can be lin
with periurbanisation processes: the “ growing municipalities” with fast economic development are to be distinguis
from other kinds of rural periurban zones that do not enjoy same opportunities.
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Greece :
The typologies established in the three selected NUTS2 regions, Attiki, Dikiti Ellada and Thessalia, resul
classifications of rural areas that are mainly periurban, however still they keep to a lower or greater extend
agricultural characteristics. As the periurbanisation gradient focused on analysis of their links with the city,
typologies explore the distinctiveness of these areas based on purely other characteristics: mainly on employm
wealth, agricultural activity and environmental characteristics.
The clusters distinguished in a first typology, concerning all rural municipalities, are defined notably according to we
agricultural activities evolution or level of services criteria. The biggest cluster, named “remote rural areas with dec
agriculture”, groups more that 50% of the communities. A second typology, that concern periurbanisation gradient
periurban municipalities, gave some differentiated results. These communities already have common characteri
that make them different for the rest of the rural areas of Greece. However, the restriction to these municipa
produced in some cases very similar results with the analysis of all the rural areas: groups called “rural areas
declined agriculture”, or “rural areas, wealthy, with dynamic agriculture, located in the plains” and “rural areas,
average level of infrastructure and balanced agriculture – services employment” have been identified in both typolog
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Spain :
The typology established in Spain takes into account other characteristics of the rural zones than those expre
through the periurbanisation gradient. For data availability reasons, it has been established only for rural municipa
of more than 1000 inhabitants in Andalusia and Murcia NUTS2 regions. Diversity factors have been isolated throu
wide range of indicators, referring to physical assets or constraints for the development, land uses, human environm
demographic dynamics, active population, economic activities, agriculture and farms or rural environment amenities
The analysis led to privilege, among diversity factors, first and foremost levels of development or diversificatio
economic activities. A three cluster typology distinguish the “rural areas”, characterised by small indexes of econ
activities and by agricultural population, from “areas of services”, that are more diversified, and from “agricu
manufacturing areas”. 87% of the rural municipalities taken into account are in the “rural area” cluster.
In fact, though this impression of a limited diversity of the rural communities can be mitigated by distinguishing, am
the “rural areas” communities, some particular sub-types concerned by development or demographic trends, mo
the rural communities are agricultural and have a negative migratory balance, irrespective of the intensity of linka
with urban zones expressed through the periurbanisation gradient. That would mean that periurbanisation is
necessarily the most important diversity factor: more global trends, like rural depopulation or changes in agricul
activities may play a more important role.
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UK :
The aim was to identify socio-economic and environmental divergence across periurban places. For that purpose
periurban rural wards of the two selected NUTS2 regions, Bedfordshire-Hertfordshire and East Anglia, have b
analysed to ascertain how far they are homogeneous zones, across a variety of dimensions. These dimensions inc
economic well-being, residential expansion, economic functions, environmental conditions and gender divisions. T
zones have been further analysed to study whether diversity can be ascribed to the unevenness of linkages w
periurban zones with major cities, and whether diversity further distinguishes periurban belts from deeper rural zone
Like in Spain, despite differences, what emerges is a pattern of broad consistency, punctuated by a few except
places. Nevertheless, a cluster analysis led to distinguish 7 clusters, though the majority of wards fall into a relat
small number of clusters. The main diversity factors revealed by the analysis refer to income, then to economic activ
or to housing growth. More half of the periurban wards fall into the cluster defined as higher income zones. O
clusters, characterised by relative dominance of some activities (energy or minerals, retail trade, manufactu
activities) or by rapid housing growth are located in more particular geographical areas.
Like in Spain too, another conclusion was that intensity of periurban pressure, identified through the periurbanis
gradient, fails to clearly distinguish the seven identified periurban areas types. Nevertheless, a more detailed ana
led on the Cambridge and the Norwich urban field showed differences within single City-Regions that need to follo
in-depth more qualitative investigations.
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