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MONITORING, WITH THE AID OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY,
THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS OF A NEW TOWN
by
Dr W. GORDON COLLINS, Department of Civil Engineering
University of Aston, Birmigham, U.K.
Dr Peter COLLIER, Dept. of Geography
Portsmouth Pólytchnic, U.K.
Milton Keynes is the most recent of the new towns established in the
U.K., and in its development it was possible to benefit from the
experiences - especially the mistakes - encountered in establishing
previous new towns.
One factor, which is now accepted as of prime importance, is the need
to preserve and maintain the quality of the natural environment, and
to minimise the destruction of the natural habitat.
This need to preserve environmental quality imposes some constraints
on the type and location of urban development which might take place
in the new town site.
In order to plan effectively within these constraints it is necessary
to acquire a suitable data base to map, measure and monitor the
natural environment.
This paper outlines the methodology developed and the results
obtained, when using vertical aerial photography as the sole data
source, for carrying out an inventory of natural environments.
By using sets of aerial photography dated 1968 and 1979 it was
possible to map and monitor changes in the natural environment of the
developing town and its surroundings. This enabled the planning
authority to identify where development might create environmental
damage.
In addition to the mapping programme all the areas were measured using
an electronic co-ordinate digitiser, and the magnitude of the changes
were determined.
The town is still growing, and future monitoring is planned to assist
the development corporation in its efforts in making Milton Keynes not
only the most modern of English new towns but also the most
environmentally desirable.
This paper clearly shows the substantial values of using aerial
photography as the data source for guiding planners in the development
and expansion of this exciting new town.
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