In this paper we wish to discuss some aspects of a particular system approach in urban planning. An attempt has been made to explain the meaning of the first principal factor (Hotelling, 1933) in the verification of a set of supposed urban characteristics. The same factor model has been used in the subsequent measurement of the degree of urbanity in each municipal territory in Flanders.
In mapping the results we have also attempted to verify some growth and communication theories for the Flanders case. Finally, the basic point of the paper is the detection of time-lag effects which create gaps between the slower development of more rigid environment elements, with which the planner is concerned, and the more quickly adapting elements—a time lag which could indicate urgent planning areas.
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