(a) Study Fig. 3, a map which shows the location of one shopping area in an MEDC and a possible site for another. Key urban area motorway main road A`: shopping area A and its sphere of influence site available for out of town shopping centre motorway junction passenger station on main railway line [Figure 3] (b) Study Photographs A, B and C (Insert) which show different types of shopping centre.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2010). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] (a)(i) Central business district (CBD).
2. [2] (a)(ii) Ideas such as: It contains the whole city; And surrounding rural area/ nearby towns; It is large/c.30km x 15km/450sq.km; Oblong shape/egg shape etc.
3. [3] (a)(iii) Ideas such as: low cost land; plenty of space/room to expand; proximity to urban area/large numbers of customers; motorway junction/easy access for customers/delivery; main road links to urban area; two motorways merge nearby/access from all directions/could attract customer from north of river; Away from congested area etc.
4. [4] (a)(iv) Ideas such as: provides more choice for shoppers; shopping under cover/safe environment; easy road access/free parking/free buses; will provide competition for shops in CBD/less shoppers using CBD; some CBD shops will close down/go out of business/empty shops; attracts bargain stores/charity shops to CBD; lower quality of environment in CBD; people without cars/old people may find access to new shopping centre difficult; could encourage CBD redevelopment; increasing congestion on motorway/less congestion in CBD etc.
5. [3] (b)(i) Photograph A = out of town shopping centre; Photograph B = CBD; Photograph C = neighbourhood centre
6. [5] (b)(ii) Ideas such as: There are large numbers of people living nearby; The services will be of low order/people will only travel short distances for low order services; People will not travel far to buy convenience goods (or examples); Services in neighbourhood centres are likely to be used frequently; So people would not want to travel far every day (or e.g. for a daily newspaper) (dev); The shops/services in neighbourhood centres are found in almost all shopping areas; So people do not have to travel far as similar shops are nearby (dev); The shops/services may have a small sphere of influence; People are only likely to buy low cost items there (or examples); It is not worth the cost of transport to travel far for these (dev)
7. [7] (c) Level 1 (1-3 marks) Statements including limited detail describing the main features of a CBD. (e.g. shops, leisure facilities, high rise buildings, offices, high rents, busy/crowded, congested, accessible, lots of traffic; lots of air pollution etc.)
8. [7] (c) Level 2 (4-6 marks) Uses named example (e.g. London). More developed statements describing the main features of a CBD. (e.g. high order shops/services, department stores, shoe shops/jewellers etc, cinemas and theatres, high rise buildings such as offices of major companies, pedestrianised streets, indoor malls, high rents due to competition for space, congested therefore large amount of air pollution/traffic noise, area from which all main roads radiate etc.) (NB MAX 5 marks if no named e.g.)
9. [7] (c) Level 3 (7 marks) Uses named example (e.g. London). More developed statements describing the main features of a CBD, including some place specific reference. (e.g. high order shops/services all along major streets like Oxford Street, department stores such as Harrods/Selfridges, shoe shops/jewellers etc, cinemas and theatres in the West End, high rise buildings such as offices of major companies, pedestrianised streets/markets such as Covent Garden, indoor malls etc.)