4.2 Function Change

Question 1

What are the functional changes in Woking and minehead?

Answer 1

WOKING
- originally used due to easy access to brookwood cemetery for overflow London bodies however, nowadays it’s comercial function attracts young professionals and families with children

MINEHEAD
-originally a fishing town with a small port and agriculture on the surrounding land but now its tourism focused industry attracts a younger population. (Transient pop. Due to seasonal employment)

Question 2

What is a function and why do they change?

Answer 2

A function is the role a place plays for its community and surroundings.

Historically banks, department stores and doctors surgeries were classed as high order functions and were found in larger settlements, however an increase accessibility and connectedness means that more and more people can access these functions easily.

Internet and broadband means that this is changing rapidly, online shopping & banking has pushed out high street stores.

Question 3

What reasons are there for functional change?

Answer 3

PHYSICAL
-proximity to large economic zones (don’t need services e.g. retail)
ACCESSIBILITY
-more industry set up when there is good transport infrastructure.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
-post production era led to more advanced functions e.g. tourism instead of manufacturing
PLANNING
-large government led schemes set to bring about particular functions e.g. business parks make commerce

Question 4

How can you measure the changes in function?

Answer 4

A change in function can cause a change in employment trends, for example if there is a continuous increase in tertiary employment it could suggest that there is an increase in tourism in that area and that the area has developed into a rapidly growing hub for tourism.

A change in function can cause a change in demographics, for example if an area undergoes gentrification the function of that area has changed and there is likely more tertiary and quaternary employment available which attracts a more affluent population.

A change in function can cause a change in the levels of Deprivation, for example the UK experienced a mass decline in industry due to the global shift, this lead to an increase in unemployment causing young or affluent people to move out of the area reducing government spending as the threshold for vital services, like education and healthcare, was no longer met causing deprivation to occur