3.2.3.1 Counter-urbanisation

Question 1

What is counter-urbanisation?

Answer 1

This is the movement of people from urban areas into smaller urban areas or rural areas, leap-frogging the rural urban fringe. The difference between rural and urban areas is reduced because of this movement

Question 2

Causes of counter-urbanisation are similar to those of suburbanisation:

Answer 2

1- People want to escape the air pollution, dirt and crime of the urban environment
2- They aspire to what they see as the pleasant, quiet and clean countryside, where land and house prices are cheaper
3- Car ownership and greater affluence allow people to commute to work for these areas
4- Many employers have moved out of cities. Between 1981 and 1996 rural areas gained >1million jobs
5- Improvements in technology e.g. the Internet have allowed more freedom of location. Someone working from a home computer can access the same global system as a person in an office block in the centre of a city
6- Rising demand for second homes and earlier retirement. Agriculture has faced economic difficulties and one way for farmers to raise money is to sell unwanted land and building

Question 3

Explain how counter-urbanisation affects the layout of rural settlements:

Answer 3

• Modern housing estates are built on the edges of small settlements
• Small industrial estates are built on main roads leading into the settlement
• Former open areas are built on
• Old properties and some agricultural buildings are converted and modernised

Question 4

Explain how there is tension between the newcomers and locals (as with gentrified areas in inner cities)

Answer 4

• One of the main areas for conflict is that despite the influx of new people local services often close down
• Bus services to many rural communities have disappeared, schools and post offices closed, churches have closed as parishes have been amalgamated
• The main reason for the changes is that newcomers have the wealth and mobility to continue to use urban services some distance away

Question 5

The evidence for counter-urbanisation in areas includes:

Answer 5

• An increase in the use of a commuter railway station, including car parking for commuters
• Increased values of houses
• Construction of more executive housing , often on newly designated building land, following the demolition of old properties
• Conversions of former farm buildings to exclusive residences

Question 6

Counter-urbanisation is one of a number of processes contributing to social and demographic change in rural areas. This is referred to as the Rural turnaround. Main changes include:

Answer 6

• Outmigration of young village-born adults seeking education & employment opportunities elsewhere
• Decline of the elderly village-born population, though deaths
• In-migration of young to middle-aged married couples or families with young children
• In-migration of younger, more affluent people which results in increased house prices

These changes do not take place uniformly within all rural settlements- There are considerable variations between and within parishes.
The ones with the most change are key settlements that have a range of basic services and good access to commuter routes. Such settlements are called suburbanised villages.

Question 7

What is a suburbanised village?

Answer 7

This is a village, in commuting distance, which receives newcomers as a result of counter-urbanisation. It shares some of the characteristics of the suburbs