Changing places part 2 Flashcards
Why did Rawtenstall need change?
- in 2011, Rawtenstall was the worst town in the country for vacant shops (40%)
- urban decline due to high unemployment and economic deprivation
- local shops suffered because of the rise of large supermarkets, online shopping and competition from surrounding towns
- concrete buildings began to crumble
Why were the plans to demolish the town hall forgotten?
because it was built in 1875
- adds to the character and history of Rawtenstall
What were the plans of Spinning Point and why?
(the great revival of Rawtenstall)
phase 1: build a new bus station and regenerate the town hall
- new bus station cost £1.9 million from Lancashire Enterprise partnerships growth fund alongside £3.5 million from Lancashire county council
- X43 goes to Manchester - builds up Rawtenstall as a commuter town
- builds tourism
- good first impression - changes perceptions and makes it more attractive to local businesses
- rebrand Rawtenstall as spinning point- links to the history of Rawtenstall , cotton spinning
What plans did not go ahead in the Spinning point regeneration and why?
- planned to spend £5.4 million on new shops, hotels/spas, cinema and residential spaces
- promised to keep elements of history alive, however Historic England withdrew their support because the heritage would be destroyed
- stopped in 2019 due to government cutbacks
Why were some insiders against the Spinning point regeneration plan?
- worried that larger businesses would outcompete local businesses
- losing history and heritage of Rawtenstall
- some believed that the regeneration would bring more tourists to local businesses - mixed viewpoints
How did the Spinning point plans hope to change outsiders’ perceptions?
- influences people’s first impressions
- raises Rawtenstall’s profile - makes it more attractive and modern
- new gateway into Rawtenstall - accessible
How did the Spinning point plans hope to change insiders’ perceptions?
- better QOL in local area
- better, safer transport links
- money stays local - no need to travel to other towns to shop
- multiplier effect leading to more investment
What were the limitations of Spinning point?
- only aimed towards boosting the economy - social factors such as healthcare, schools and leisure were not considered - remaining social inequalities
- losing culture and heritage
What is New Hall Hey retail park?
- adjacent to the A56 which provides direct access to the M66
- opened in 2017 and lots of TNC’s moved in eg. Aldi, home bargains etc
- created over 120 jobs
- easy and convenient to access
What are the cons of the opening of a new retail park?
- all chain stores that moved in - causes Rawtenstall to become a clone town and indistinguishable from other places
- money stays in Rawtenstall but profit doesn’t - goes to larger businesses
- pushes out local businesses
What levelling up scheme is proposed in Rawtenstall?
- £17 million from the governments levelling up fund
- attract high-paid and skilled businesses
- want to attract investment and boost footfall
- open a skills and training centre
Why is the levelling up scheme needed?
- In 2019, Rossendale was the 91st most deprived district out of over 300
- has the lowest number of employee jobs out of the 14 Lancashire authorities
Why might governments want to manipulate people’s perceptions of a place?
- attract investment from businesses and TNC’s
- increase tourism
- change perceptions of deprived areas
What activities can community groups use to boost perceptions of a place?
- making leisure activities more accessible
- Christmas markets - turning on lights
- parish councils - locals can make decisions on where investment goes
How does Salford Quays’ website manipulate perceptions?
- called ‘The Quays’ - want to drop the negative perceptions associated with Salford
- clear water and sky, no people - portrayed very positively
- Greater Manchesters waterfront - makes it seem very important to its character of place
- displays that there is lots to do - Muti-purpose
- biased because it was created to encourage people to visit Salford to increase tourism and boost the economy
