VISUAL DEGRADATION ALONG A ROUTE CORRIDOR, AN AIR PHOTO STUDY. 
  
Malcolm Ashworth and Dr W G Collins. 
Remote Sensing Unit, 
Dept of Civil Engineering, 
University of Aston, 
Birmingham, UK. 
ABSTRACT 
Unsightly views of degraded and spolled land are encountered by business people travelling along the 
environmental corridor between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, and these views are believed to 
adversely affect their decision to live and work In the area, with a subsequent loss in industrial 
development . 
A survey was carried out on a sample area of the corridor, providing information on type and extent 
of such land, and its distribution with respect to the surrounding land use. 
Based on a derelict and spoiled land classification, the survey was in essence an air photo study 
supplemented by field checks to establish net changes over a two year period in order that a 
reclamation programme could be instigated. 
Results showed a dominance of two dereliction categories, namely waste land and demolished sites 
which accounted for 83% (123ha) of all degraded sites within the area, however the remaining 17% of 
derelict and spolled land was usually less attractive in appearance, and even more difficult and 
expensive to reclaim. Although an overall reduction in dereliction of 22% occurred over the two year 
period, "new" dereliction was occurring at approximately 30% of the rate of reclamation. 
INTRODUCTION. 
In 1979 the Remote Sensing Unit (Aston University) in conjunction with the West Midlands Planning 
Authority, engaged In discussions which were centred around the problem of spoiled land immediately 
adjacent to the main Wolverhampton to Birmingham New Street rallway line. The Planners believe that 
business people contemplating living and working in Birmingham are greatly influenced by the 
unsightly views they encounter along the seven mile (12 km) lenth of track, and that In consequence 
the Midlands could well be suffering economically through lack of industrial and commercial 
development . 
Since much of the Industrial land is derelict, and since the views from the railway generally 
represent the character of the whole region, a derelict land survey was proposed for a 16km2 sample 
area (fig 1.) within the environmental corridor in order to identify the extent of the land 
degradation. 
THE DERELICT LAND SURVEY. 
  
The definition of derelict land as used in this study Is "land so damaged by industrial or other 
development that it is Incapable of benificial use without treatment." 
Classification 
A classification is required to carry out the survey, and the classification adopted was one used 
by the West Midlands County Planning Authority and Aston University in a previous study (1971), this 
was partially based on an earlier D.O.E. classification. For this corridor survey however, the 
classification was further modified to include sites such as scrap yards, and temporary car parks. 
Table 1 lists the classification used. 
TABLE 1. CLASSIFICATION OF DERELICT AND SPOILED LAND SURVEYS 
  
Data submitted on each site delineated from aerial photographs will include:- 
1. Site Number - for the identification of sites on the overlay 
2. Geocode reference (8 figures) and the name of the nearest road or locatlonal feature shown on the 
0/S map. 
Area in hectares - The minimum area of sites to be delineated is 0.5 hectares. In the case of 
tipping sites (4m) and scrap yards (41) smal ler areas which are detected during the scanning of the 
photographs should be recorded. Measurements to be made to 0.1 hectare. 
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