CENTRAL BUSINESS

DISTRICT

The Central Business District is the urban zone at the heart of the city. It is dominated by three land uses, retail, offices and entertainment.

- The CBD is located in the most accessible location of the city where the main road routes converge

- This accessibility is the reason that the CBD has the highest land value due to competition

- Retail and entertainment require a location in the CBD because it requires access to the biggest customer base

- Offices require a location in the CBD because it has access to the most suitable and well qualified workers

Main characteristics of a CBD:

∞ Greatest number and concentration of pedestrians

∞ Contains the tallest buildings in the city, due to high rents and small spaces

∞ High proportion of offices

∞ Usually in the centre of the city

∞ Shops are located there (mainly department and specialist shops)

∞ Highest land values

∞ Constantly undergoing change

∞ Greatest volume and concentration of traffic

∞ Buildings are tightly packed with little space in between

∞ Competition for space is at its highest

∞ Available space is quite small

∞ Is the most accessible zone with the best transport routes

∞ Often filled with traffic due to its accessibility

∞ Shops and offices compete with each other for land