A note on the incidence of development in the vicinity of a growth centre

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Abstract
Gilbert A. (1975) A note on the incidence of development in the vicinity of a growth centre. Reg. Studies 9, 325–333. During the past 10 years the term “growth centre” has gained widespread use in government, academic and planning circles. Currently, however, its utility is being questioned on a number of counts. Principal among these are its conceptual imprecision and its limited ability to accelerate development in poorer regions. The present paper examines one aspect of the growth centre's supposed planning role; its ability to induce development in surrounding areas. Drawing on a South American example, the limited “spread” effects of a dynamic industrial growth centre are examined. The results support the conclusion of other studies, made in both developed and less-developed nations, that growth poles rarely assist rural development. The main implication for planning is that growth-centre strategies are likely to be effective only if supported by policies which modify existing rural-urban relations.

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