5.1 Introduction
The location, site and situation significantly contribute to growth and function of a settlement. Location and surroundings could have positive and negative impact on settlement development. However, careful planning should be able to use well the advantages that the location of a town provides. Particularly location in the context of waterfront of sea, river and large lakes provides special resources, which can be effectively used for development of the town. Similarly, the town located on the hills provide other special opportunities for development. Any appraisal of the value and importance of a particular site must involve a knowledge of its historical past, evolution and landmarks of change.
The growth of clusters of urban settlements is more frequently found around large metropolises and results in what are sometimes called “city regions”. Often these are made up of small towns and villages, which have been enormously expanded as a result of national policy on dispersal of economic activities away from the metropolises. The small and medium towns in these city regions are related to one another by the functions, which they perform. Site condition in the hilly and mountainous regions may occupy site in: Ridges, Valleys, River terraces, Confluences, Rolling Meadows and in cases linear settlement growth along the major transportation routes or at the entrance to specific hill region.