Leaching Functions from the Outer Metropolitan Zones (Trade, Services) - Increasing Peripherality of Small Towns and Rural Areas

Abstract

Intensive spatial processes taking place around metropolitan areas leads to many economic, structural and social changes in their surroundings. The small towns and rural areas located in the outer zone of metropolitan areas are most affected by this functional changes. In the outer zone of a big urban canters appears a lot of new competing possibilities on the labor market and a comprehensive commercial, service and cultural offer to smaller centres. One of the most competitive advantage of the metropolitan zones becomes modern shopping centres being established in the most accessible places, providing a comprehensive shopping-services and even cultural-recreational offer.

Keywords

• Metropolitan area
• Urban agglomerations
• Shopping centres
• Suburban areas
• Rural areas