Central Place Theory

While examples of the theoretical hexagonal symmetry of central place theory can be detected, and with difficulty, only in a few areas, such as the relatively flat region of East Anglia in England and similarly flat regions of Canada and Australia, contemporary applications focus on the size, not shape, of market areas. Large companies, such as supermarket chains, pay particular attention to the market area of a town before deciding to locate a branch there. The main consideration is that there are enough potential customers in the area to meet the minimum, or threshold, number required to sustain the store. To satisfy this requirement, the company must take into account not only the overall size of the area's population but also the willingness of that population to travel to the centre in which the store is to be located. Even if the population were large enough, it would be of little help if the majority of people preferred to travel to an alternative central place. Similar considerations influence the provision and location of major new service facilities, such as leisure centres and new towns.