4A.4

Question 1

What are perceived “successful regions”

Answer 1

• successful regions are ones that are highly desirable and attract inward migration
• Regions are made successful by cumulative causation triggered by a new industry attracting employees and a host of supporting companies e.h those involved with infrastructure and leisure

Question 2

What are the challenges that successful regions face

Answer 2

• successful regions face problems of a two tiered economy and inequality due to the variation in jobs
• They face difficulties of existing residents and new workers being priced out of the area due to inflated property prices caused by increased demand
• They face problems related to skill shortages as the areas chosen to set up in do not have the necessary individuals trained in quaternary and quinary work to be employed in the new companies

Question 3

How can these problems be solved for these successful regions

Answer 3

• These problems can be solved with the recruitment of workers from overseas and the building of more affordable housing
• One of the benefits of the economic growth is there is low IMD pattern in the areas

Question 4

What has made Berkshire a successful place (c/s)

Answer 4

• The M4 runs along Berkshire county from east to west
• The M25 is to the east
• Much of the county is influenced by Heathrow airport
• The Thames and the Kennet have created a flat floodplain for high quality urban living and work
• The historic 2000 hectare hunting ground of Windsor Great Park has always attracted tourists to the area along with other historic attractions including Windsor castle

Question 5

What changes have occurred in Berkshire

Answer 5

• The population of Berkshire is rising. The 2011 census showed that since 2001 the population had increased by 6.4%. The population of slough has increased by 16.3% making it the fastest growing town in SE England
• There are now high rates of employment. Principle towns such as Reading,Slough and Bracknell are now home to some of the largest IT firms in the country including Oracle and Microsoft
• In addition Slough trading park has HQs of TNCs like O2.
• Dulux paints, Nfer and BayerAG are housed in Newbury and Waitrose and BMW are housed in Bracknell

Question 6

What do the new TNCs now need

Answer 6

• The TNCs now need a highly qualified workforce to take up the jobs created
• 1/2 the workers need to be employed in the knowledge based sector
• 70,000 well qualified workers were needed by 2020. In order to fulfil this need 7000-11000 workers have been employed from outside the EU ( possibly explaining why the company wanted to be so near Heathrow )
• 41% of the immigration to Berkshire is workers
• Young graduates are also needed by the complies which explains another reason for choosing Berkshire ( proximity to universities)

Question 7

What are the challenges that have arisen in Berkshire due to it being a successful place

Answer 7

-The growth in demand for living space has made the area one of the most expensive in the Uk
~Property prices rose 40-50% in the ten years from 2005
~In September 2015 prices were in excess of 2 million for a 6 bedroom property
-This has left the area out of reach for the new working young population and also priced out the existing residents as it has had an affect on the price of everything in the area

• There is also now a labour shortage in the area for low skilled workers who have been forced out
• Lambourn and aldermaston have increasingly elderly populations who are struggling to keep up with the price increases in the area
• Ultimatley people on lower incomes in successful places will be especially disadvantaged as property prices rise and so does cost of living