Uncoordinated new retail development and its impact on land use and soils: A pilot study on the urban fringe of Prague, Czech Republic
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to investigate land use changes and the loss of quality agricultural land in the hinterland of Prague. A pilot study has been conducted in this area, based on the identification of the large-scale retail objects in the suburban landscape from the orthophotomaps.
The relevant plots in the affected cadastral units have been analyzed by GIS with regards mainly to the land use changes under the new retail development and the quality of appropriated soils. The results reveal that in Prague's periphery the large-scale outlets considered in this pilot study cover 128.3 ha of agricultural land.
Despite Czech legislation imposing an obligation to protect the highest quality soils in particular cadastres, the soils appropriated are mostly in the higher quality ranks, particularly Chernozems and Luvisols which amount to a total area of 79 ha.