🚗 Transport Links
| Map Symbol | What to say | ADV or DIS? |
|---|
| Motorway / A road nearby | "Close to the A1(M) — excellent road access for deliveries / customers by car" | ADV ✅ |
| No major road | "No A or B road nearby — poor access, likely to cause congestion on minor roads" | DIS ❌ |
| Railway station nearby | "Adjacent to railway station — good public transport for workers / shoppers" | ADV ✅ |
| Far from public transport | "No railway or bus station nearby — car-dependent, excludes non-drivers" | DIS ❌ |
🏗️ Land Use (What's there already?)
| Map Symbol | What to say | ADV or DIS? |
|---|
| Brownfield / old industry | "Former colliery/works — brownfield land, cheaper to buy, no loss of countryside" | ADV ✅ |
| Farmland (open space) | "Agricultural land — greenfield site, loss of farming land, possible objection" | DIS ❌ |
| Open flat land | "Flat open land — easy and cheap to build on, no demolition needed" | ADV ✅ |
| Dense housing nearby | "Residential area nearby — large potential customer / workforce pool" | ADV ✅ |
| Housing directly adjacent | "Houses immediately adjacent — noise/traffic complaints likely from residents" | DIS ❌ |
⛰️ Topography (Shape of the land)
| Map Feature | What to say | ADV or DIS? |
|---|
| Closely spaced contours | "Steep slopes — expensive to build on, not suitable for large flat-roofed buildings" | DIS ❌ |
| Few/no contours (flat) | "Flat land (few contours) — cheap and easy to build on, ideal for large buildings" | ADV ✅ |
| River/flood plain | "Near River X — flood risk, expensive defences needed, may put off developers" | DIS ❌ |
🏥 Services & Infrastructure
| Feature | What to say | ADV or DIS? |
|---|
| Schools, hospitals nearby | "Schools/services within walking distance — attractive for housing development" | ADV ✅ |
| Town centre close by | "CBD nearby — workers can access shops and services at lunchtime" | ADV ✅ |
| Competing retail already there | "Existing shopping centre nearby — risk of competition, may not attract investment" | DIS ❌ |
🌿 Environment
| Feature | What to say | ADV or DIS? |
|---|
| Nature reserve / woodland | "Nature reserve at X — development could destroy habitat, planning objections likely" | DIS ❌ |
| Green belt / open land | "Green belt land — strict planning controls, difficult to get permission" | DIS ❌ |
| Derelict / contaminated land | "Derelict site — brownfield, regenerates run-down area, improving local environment" | ADV ✅ |
✍️ Writing a Strong Answer
Formula: Map feature → Grid reference → Why this matters for THIS development
❌ Weak: "There are roads nearby."
✅ Strong: "The A630 dual carriageway passes immediately north of the site (3991) providing excellent road access for the large number of delivery lorries a shopping centre requires, reducing congestion in the city centre."
For a 5-mark question: Aim for 2–3 advantages, 2–3 disadvantages, and a brief conclusion.