Changing Spaces; Making Places🌅 5.4

Question 1

Who are the players driving economic change?

Answer 1

• public players: EU, National Government (major planning: education, transport links) & Local Government (local-scale planning)
• private players: TNCs & sled-employed - primary aim = generating money to make profit for their investment
• local communities: concerned for their immediate area
• non-governmental organisations: eg National Trust - conservation of historic buildings & landscapes

Question 2

Which case study shows structural economic change?

Answer 2

Birmingham Metropolitan Region (heart of West Midlands Conurbation - 2nd largest city after London - 2014 - 1.1 million residents

Question 3

Birmingham - history

Answer 3

• industrial revolution - early 1700s - population grew - rural-urban migration as inhabitants searched for employment - increasing middle class residents as service sectors developed
• Boulton👨🏽 - established world’s 1st factory - moved town’s industrial base foreword
• 19th century - extraordinary growth - Cadbury family - Bournville factory
• 1st 1/2 20th century - sustained economic growth & pop. growth - large terraced housing areas built for factory workers
• inner city - poor-quality housing & industrial activity left land sites with high pollution levels

Question 4

Birmingham - post-war

Answer 4

• industrial decline - from 1970-1983 - earnings dramatically fell & high unemployment levels
• city caught in global recession in 1970s
• traditional industries suffered due to increasing overseas competition of TNCs based in counties with lower production costs
• houses destroyed by bombs - tower blocks built - better than previous slums

Question 5

Birmingham - demography

Answer 5

• from 1950s onwards - significant international in-migration to inner city areas - immigrants cluster in cheap housing areas - good employment access - growing service sector required low-skilled jobs
• cosmopolitan city - religious landscape - mosques & temples - ethnic food & fabric shops
• relatively youthful pop.

Question 6

Birmingham - regeneration

Answer 6

• role of planning & flagship development - more public spaces developed in centre eg Victoria Square
• national indoor arena- attracts large sporting events eg 2003 world indoor athletics championships
• universities contribute to youthful pop. - economically being significant wealth to area - students provide goods & services market
• transport - main railway station transformed by investment
• Bull Ring - Europe’s 1st major indoor shopping centre - contributes to city’s status as 1 of the county’s leading retail centres