Examining 'Core-Periphery' Relationships in a Global City-Region: The Case of London and South East England

Abstract

This paper examines the interdependencies between the London 'core' and the South East England 'Mega-City Region'. London's description as a monocentric city in the European Spatial Development Perspective, belies functional connectivities that make a wide area to the west of the capital a web of dense inter-urban linkages. How are advanced business services creating a functional geography that differs from binary territorial representations? What are the implications for policy and theorisation? This paper addresses these questions with specific reference to South East England and the 'core-periphery' thesis.