Perspectives on the city‐region

Parr J. B. (2005) Perspectives on the city‐region, Regional Studies 39 , 555–566. The significance of the city‐region as a key feature of the space economy of a nation has been acknowledged for some time. Recently, however, there has been a spate of interest in the city‐region, and the reasons for this are varied. The form of a typical city‐region is discussed, with consideration given to its zonal structure and the accompanying inter‐zonal interaction. Such interaction, which occurs with respect to trade, commuting, capital movements, etc., does not imply that the city‐region represents a closed economy. The long‐term evolution of the city‐region is outlined, and a pattern of concentration followed by deconcentration is identified. Certain technical issues relating to the form of the city‐region are then examined. Finally, there is a brief review of the different ways in which the city‐region has been defined in the UK over recent years.