This document provides an overview of key concepts in regional planning. It defines a region as an area with specific boundaries and characteristics. Regions can be classified in different ways, such as formal, functional, and perceptual regions. Formal regions are based on physical similarities, while functional regions are organized around nodes and flows. The document also discusses techniques for delimiting regions and identifies different types of regions, such as economic development regions and activity regions. Finally, it explains the concepts of planning regions and regional planning, which involves coordinating resources and development across administrative boundaries.

1. SSR3033:
Theories & Techniques of Regional
Planning
Introduction to Regional Planning
5th and 6th Sept 2016
1

2. Assessment
1. Assignment 1 (individual) – 30%
2. Assignment 2 (Group) – 20%
3. Quiz (2) – 10%
4. Final Exam – 40%
2

3. Objectives
• To explain the concept of region
• To identify the characteristics of a region
• To differentiate the terms “planning region”
and “regional planning”
• To differentiate between objective view and
subjective view in the context of regional
classification
• To discuss the techniques of regional
delimitation
3

4. How many regions can be formed here?
4

5. Among the key questions in planning
and development field:
• Why do people create region?
• Who creates regions?
• How do people creates regions?
• When do people creates regions?
In order to do all that, one must understand the
concept of region and classification of region
5

6. Concept of region
6

7. Region
• An area identified by specific boundary and
meet specific criteria and/or characteristics
• Could be a combination of more than two
areas – but with similar characteristics or
features
• but it can be any tract of land or any area
7

8. In pairs – how many regions can you see?
What are your criteria for selecting the
regions?
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9. • Is it a homogenous area from a physical point of
view and can one talk of a natural region?
• Is it a heterogeneous area with a basic structure
such as a river or a fluvial basin?
• Is it a cultural area based on a common way of life
or an area based on a city and its hinterland - a
so-called nodal region?
9
In fact, all are regions even if, for a long time, natural
regions were the only ones considered by the scientists
owing to the dominance of the naturalist point of view.
Justification for region identification?

10. Categories and types of region
1. Formal, functional and perceptual regions
2. Multi-level planning classification of region
3. Economic development region
4. Activity region
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Other important terms:
• Nodal region
• Planning region

11. Regional classification #1
Objective View
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Linked with space & has spatial dimension
(e.g. fishing villages, Light & Medium Industries
area)
Region as an end itself – natural & absolute entity
Also known as “formal region”
Favoured by geographers and general public
Problem: in determining the boundaries
Example: Herbertson’s way of regional classification

12. Herbertson’s work
• A pioneer in essaying a classification of natural
environment
• Divided the world into natural regions (6
types)
• Read: Sum, Kong-Sut (n.d) Andrew John
Herbertson (1865 – 1915) and the Natural
Regions

13. Herbertson’s classification (examples)
• Highlands (ice-cap)
• Lowlands (tundra type)Polar Regions
• Eastern margin with summer rain (China)
• Plateaus (Iran)
• Western margin with winter rain (Mediterranean type)
Warm
temperate
region
• West tropical desserts (Sahara type)
• East tropical lands (Monsoon type)
• Interior tropical tablelands (Sudan type)
Hot Region

14. Regional classification #2
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Subjective View
Mental construct (spaceless)
arbitrarily dividing it into as many region as needs
be – independent of the considerations of space
Region defined based on particular criteria for
particular purpose (i.e. used as descriptive tool)
Favoured by economist – engaged in the
formulation of regional growth theory

15. Formal Region vs Functional Region
Formal Region
• Also known as
Homogenous Region
• Based on similarities
in characteristics
(i.e. homogeneous
criteria)
• Examples?
Functional Region
•Also known as Nodal Region
•Characterized by its linkages
and flows
•Regions are organized
around a focal (nodal) point –
e.g. around transportation
network, communication
network, labour and trade
flows
•E.g use of frequency of bus
services as an indicator

16. Perceptual region
• Defined by people’s feeling and attitudes
about an area
• E.g. what is your view of the Klang Valley
area? What is your justification for saying
that? What of your view on the East
Coast/West Coast?
• On a smaller scale: Chinatown, Little Italy,
French Quarter
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17. 17

18. 18
MIDDLE EAST?

19. Multi-level planning and region
classification
19
NATIONAL
STATE
DIVISION
DISTRICT
SPECIFIC PLANNING
AREA
PLANNING
REGION

20. Economic region
• Developed region
• Lagging region
• Neutral region
20

21. 21
Eastern
Corridor
Economic
Region (ECER)
Northern Corridor
Economic Region
(NCER)
PERLIS
PULAU PINANG
KEDAH
Iskandar Development
Region (IDR)

22. New Growth Opportunities
Sarawak Corridor of
Renewable Energy
(SCORE)
Sabah Development
Corridor (SDC)
Quick Facts:
•Investment – RM1.1 trillion
•Development Timeframe –
2007 –2030 (23 years)
•Agencies:
• NCER – NCIA
• ECER – ECERDC
• IDR – IRDA
• SDC – SEDIA
• SCORE - RECODA

23. Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE)
Tunoh
Oil Palm+Timber +
Tourism
Baram
Oil Palm+Timber+
Tourism
Tanjung Manis
Halal Park, Ship Building
and Resource-based
industries
Samalaju
Heavy and Energy
Intensive Industries
70,708 sq km (56.8%)
862,100 persons
Central Region
Mukah
Services Hub, R&D and
Human Capital

24. Activity region
• Agricultural region
• Mining region
• Industrial region
• Others?
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25. Other terms
• Nodal region
• Planning region
• Regional Planning
25

26. Nodal Region
• an area organized around a node, or focal
point, and is defined by interactions or
connections.
• E.g. A metropolitan area such as the Klang
Valley region (KL, PJ, Shah Alam, Klang) or
Putrajaya
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27. Development of nodal region
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28. Planning Region
Q1.What is the difference between region
and planning region?
Q2. Why do we need planning?
Q3. What is ‘planning’?

29. • Region demarcated for planning purposes
• Demarcation needs to take into account (for
ease of implementation):
 Existing administrative boundaries
 Political realities
 Availability of data for specific administrative unit
 Factors of homogeneity and nodality
Planning region:

30. Regional Planning
• Primary purpose: general distribution of
resources, activities and development
• Territorial competition (therefore territorial
approach to development)
• E.g. regional co-ordination of transportation
and landuse; regional sharing of resources,
regional growth control
Note: will be discussed further in the next lecture

31. In short,
Elements:
• Relative
homogeneity
• Uniqueness,
distinctiveness &
identification
• Blurred boundaries
types:
• Formal Region
• Functional Region
• Perceptual Region
• Planning Region
views:
• Objective View
• Subjective View

32. Summary
• Concept of region - An area identified by
specific boundary and meet specific criteria
and/or characteristics
• Criteria for planning regions, and its
significance (economic competition etc)
• Regional planning – justifications and examples
• Planning region vs. Regional Planning

33. Ask yourself
• What is your understanding of “region” now?
• Does this understanding differ from your
earlier perception of region i.e. before the
start of lecture?
• Will you be able to identify the different types
and aspects of a region?

34. References
• Ahmad, I & Bajwa, I.U. (2005). Regional
development planning: Issues and realities
(http://www.isocarp.net/data/case_studies/649.
pdf)
• Glasson, J & Marshall, T. (2007). Regional
Planning. New York: Routledge
• Pike, A. (2006). Local and Regional Planning. New
York: Routledge
• RECODA. (2016). What is SCORE?
(http://www.recoda.com.my/invest-in-
score/what-is-score/)