CLASSIFICATION AND DETERMINANTS OF LAND USE

Urban land utilization is classified based on the prevailing use. Among the identified and recognized uses
of land overtime are;

1. Residential land use. High density, medium density and low density
2. Commercial land use: central business district, district and neighborhood commercial Centre,
markets, shopping malls, etc.
3. Mixed uses: public/commercial land use, residential/public land use, residential/commercial
land use, institutional/commercial land use.
4. Industrial land use: service, light, medium and heavy industrial areas
5. Institutional land use: educational, cultural and health institutions, research and development,
libraries, religions, etc.
6. Public/government land use: secretariats, police, fire service, post offices, community centres,
etc.
7. Infrastructural land use: transportation, water works, electricity, telecommunication, refuse
dumping and disposal areas, sewage collection and treatment areas, etc.
8. Public open spaces/reservations; parkland gardens, recreation, urban rock outcrops and
unusable lands (cliffs).

The classification of land uses is not exhaustive both in broad terms and in their sub-divisions.
Further grouping and re-arrangements could be done for some of the broad land use. Some
factors however, determine the suitability and attractiveness of a parcel of land for a particular
use. Some of these factors are:
1. Terrain: This relates to the configuration of the land. This includes the slope, drainage
characteristics, rock outcrop, etc. Some uses prefer fairly flat or rolling land.
2. Transport Arteries: The presence of good and efficient road network could encourage or
deter the use of land for a particular purpose. Most commercial and industrial land uses are
attracted to areas with good road network especially transport corridors.
3. Water Courses: Because of the possible incidence of flood and the generally swampy nature,
especially where the flood plain is broad, developments requiring solid and elaborate
foundations usually avoid areas near water courses.
4. Accessibility factor: This includes accessibility to market and labour. Some seek land in
relation to the urban population distribution
5. Space Requirements/Availability: Activities differ in the minimum size of land they require
for effective operations. Those that require small land area could procure such land in most
parts of the urban Centre including the Central Business District (CBD). However, some
urban activities required considerable size of land which are only available at the peripheral
part of urban Centre.
6. Agglomeration Factor: Some activities prefer close proximity to one another to reap the
advantages of agglomeration economies.
7. Other factors: Other factors include political, cultural and security considerations. Some
might be disallowed around military installations, airports, nuclear power stations etc.