Changing Urban Environments Flashcards
The land use of a CBD.
Shops, banks, offices, entertainments.
Features of a CBD.
High rise buildings, high number of shops and services, DIURNAL population density, high land prices so the land use is not residential
Problems in a CBD.
Land price is high, tourism can cause conflicts with residents, lots of noise and air pollution.
Map evidence for a CBD.
COL (schools), main roads, churches, hotels, museums.
Map evidence for the inner city.
Light Manufacturing: Often found along a river, railway or canal. Near terraced housing. Large buildings.
Old/Low Class Residential: Straight rows of small houses. Streets close together. Little to no green space. Often close to a factory, railways or canal.
Problems of an inner city.
Factories cause visual pollution. Cramped housing, crime, unemployment.
Land use of an inner city
Light Manufacturing: Large factories, railways, disposing of waste, partially residential.
Old/Low Class Residential: Residential, Canals, corner shops, social meeting place.
Appearance of an inner city
Light Manufacturing: Large buildings and factories (ugly), open space. No gardens or terraced housing.
Old/Low Class Residential: Smaller, compact, terraced housing. Factories and no gardens.
Map evidence of suburbs.
Middle-Class Housing: Schools and parks nearby, streets usually straight.
High-Class Housing: Semi detached houses
Appearance of the suburbs
Middle-Class Housing: Open space, houses with gardens.
High-Class Housing: Family areas, detached housing
Map evidence for the RUF.
Open space, golf courses, parks, fields, detached houses.
Problems with the suburbs.
High land and housing price, services are far away.
Land use of suburbs
Middle-Class Housing: Mainly residential, some shops, schools.
High-Class Housing: Residential, educational, commercial.
Appearance of the RUF
Private estates or outer city council housing. Low population and building density. High quality housing. Built in the 1960s. Large gardens.
Land use of the RUF
Golf courses, business parks, airports, theme parks.
What do you need to do when using map skills?
Only use information from the map, that you can see on the map. Unless the question asks you to, do not use local knowledge for map skills questions - ALWAYS use map evidence.
What is urban decline?
The process whereby previously functioning city falls into disrepair. Economy shrinks, unemployment increases and public places become derelict and run down. Crime, fragmented families and an inhospitable city landscape result.
Causes of urbanisation in LEDCs
Overpopulation puts pressure on the land - food shortages, famine.
Lack of services for example difficult to access healthcare.
High rates of natural increase among youthful population has fuelled this urban growth.
Wider range of jobs, from drug dealing and prostitution to selling items.
People can always access food in the city, where as in rural areas if you can’t grow it you can’t.
Government schemes encouraging urbanisation.
Why is there housing crisis in the UK?
Population has increased by 7% since 1971 and is expected to increase.
More people living alone - higher divorce rates, young people moving out.
There are over 1 million empty properties because people cannot afford to modernise them.
Rising demand for second homes.
Name some causes of urbanisation in MEDCs
Mechanisation of agriculture in the 19th century lead to unemployment amongst workers.
Movement of young people to attend tertiary education.
Access to better health care.
Redevelopment.
Bright light syndrome.
Lack of services for example living far away from a local high school.
What is City Challenge?
A big initiative of the 1990s, where local authorities, private companies and the local community worked together to improve housing, environment and services.
Urban zones have different land uses. Due to what issues to they develop these land uses?
Space available Age of area Accessibility Land values Wealth Planning policies
What is multiculturalism?
The act of celebrating cultural diversity, ethnic and racial diversity and teaching tolerance.
Changes that have happened in the CBD
Major changes in C20th:
Reducing traffic congestion and pollution.
Creating more pleasant and safer environment (CCTV, street furniture, lighting)
Segregating shoppers and traffic.
Revitalising CBDs as some shops have left e.g. Birmingham CBD
Go through the vicious cycle of poverty.
High unemployment leads to people having less money to spend on goods and services.
Less tax and business rates all paid to the local council.
The local council invests less in housing, roads, and education.
Young people leave school with pew a qualification which leads back to high unemployment which also leads to petty crime.
Problems and decline in the CBD
Pollution (light, air and sound) - impacts quality of life and health
Overcrowding in CBDs - cause delays and traffic jams which are inconvenient and anger people.
Crime - impacts shops and other people
Decline due to shops moving to out of town shopping centres and online shopping
Conflict between ethnic groups and elderly people and youths and tourists
Key features of LEDC cities
Rapid growth is sustained by a combination of rural-urban migration and natural increase within populations.
Urban population growth outstrips economic growth rates.
Wide disparities in wealth and quality of life are evident.
Government has inconsistent policy approaches to control urban growth.
Describe the burgess model for MEDCs.
The middle is the CBD (large shops and office blocks).
Then a zone of manufacturing (inner city).
Then old poor quality housing mixed with industry.
Then medium cost housing.
Then new and expensive housing.
Describe the Hoyt model in LEDCs
In the middle large shops and offices.
The line Vertically through it is new and expensive housing.
On the left of this is suburban luxury housing.
The line horizontally on the right is modern factories.
The small circle around this is improve shanties.
The bigger circles are shanty towns.
Schemes to improve squatter settlements
Self-help Schemes - local authorities help those living in squatter settlements to improve their homes by offering loans and often installing clean water supply, sanitation and safe waste disposal
Site and Service Schemes - land is divided into individual plots and water, sanitation, electricity and basic road layouts are supplied, before any building begins
Local Authority Schemes - these are funded by the local government and are about improving the temporary accommodation built by residents
Advantages of congestion charge:
Helps the environment as people would rather take public transport.
Electric cars go for free.
Disadvantages of congestion charge:
Buses give off nitrous oxide emissions, it’s quite expensive.
Park and ride advantages:
Quicker way to get into the city.
Disadvantages of park and ride scheme:
The machines to buy tickets are complex and buses leave with customers still queuing for tickets. It’s also quite expensive.
Want to solutions to the housing problems in LEDCs need to appreciate?
Slums naturally improve over time.
They are called building sites rather than wastelands.
Appropriate government intervention will accelerate improvement.
Public transport advantages:
Children go free on bus. 20 hours a day. Air conditioned. Rather frequent. New buses and bus lanes.
Disadvantages of Boris bikes:
Can only be taken out for 30 minutes at a time without being additionally charged. They don’t provide helmets. Anyone can hire them at any level of cycling. Can be quite dangerous especially in central London.
Disadvantages of public transport:
Congested.
Tube/bus strikes.
Aesthetically unpleasing.
Boris bike advantages:
Cheap, easy, efficient and healthy mode of transport. Reduces travel and there are a lot of them.
Why did the London docklands go into decline and why was it in need of regeneration?
In the 1970s, ships grew in size and needed deeper water so could not navigate the Thames through its meanders
Container ships and computerisation replaced the need for many dockworkers
By 1980s, the docks had closed, over half the land was derelict, there were very few jobs, transport was poorly developed, housing was in need of urgent repair, lack of basic services and leisure amenities
Why does urbanisation in LEDCs lead to slums?
Cities cannot support the population increase, not enough services.
Rural migrants have little skills so they can’t be employed. They make temporary shelters.
These temporary shelters become squared settlements that tend to be found on marginal land.
They usually work in the informal sector.
New transport links in the docklands
DLR, Jubilee Line
Kibera slum Nairobi facts
1 million slum dwellers. Biggest slum in Africa. Each shack costs £6 per month. No clinics or hospitals. 400 people use the same latrine. Over 50% unemployment rate. Drugs is an increasing problem. Heavily polluted. Over 200,000 children have lost one if. Or both parents.
Positive impacts of reclaiming derelict land
The area is more aesthetically pleasing an there’s more space for newer better quality housing.
Characteristics of squatter settlements
Stacked, overcrowded housing - unplanned and unsafe, lots of people living together, can cause spread of disease
Glassless windows - cold, bad living conditions
Marginal land - steep, dangerous, undesirable.
Stealing from power lines - unsafe
Open sewage - disease and bad living conditions
Corrugated iron, cardboard - bad materials, poorer people
No clean water supply - high risk of disease
OR Water containers - improved water supply, lower risk of contamination
Rubbish left on the street - no proper rubbish collection in the narrow streets
No proper streets - people do not have the money or space to build them, can cause safety issues
Problems in Kibera
80% has no electricity - no heating leads to more disease.
No clinics or hospitals so huge numbers die from curable diseases.
50% unemployment rate, not enough food
Heavily polluted water, no toilet facilites
Solutions to problems in Kibera (government)
Some power is provided by Kenya Power and Lighting Company for those who can pay for it
Kibera Integrated Water, Sanitation and Waste Management Project - Construction of 2.5km road and 1.8km of storm water drains
Communal sanitation facilities
Small scale door-to-door waste collection
Solutions to problems in Kibera (individuals)
Use of kerosene lamps
Attaching cables to top of houses for power
People with basic first aid knowledge help people and can sometimes access vaccines
Adults teach families skills to make money
Rubbish is put in piles in bags at the side of a road
Solutions to problems in Kibera (NGOs)
Medicins San Frontiers set up clinics
Sanitation improvement via ‘PeePeople’ scheme where people sell their waste to be turned into fertiliser
Charities seek out orphans and look after them
Charities give courses on skills e.g. sewing
Most settlements are…
Multifunctional
What is the FUNCTION of a settlement?
The ‘work’ or purpose of a settlement. It relates to its economic and social development and its main activities.
Every settlement has a function and functions change over time
What are the problems of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation in LEDCs?
Waste disposal
Air pollution
Water pollution
Cause of air pollution
Expanding cities
Industry responsible for CO2 emissions
Impacts of waste disposal problems
Toxic chemicals inside electronic waste can cause serious health issues
Environmental issues can lead to death and health problems
Contamination of habitats of animals
Can lead to disease
What are the causes of waste disposal problems?
Expanding cities - a large city can create 1000s of tonnes of waste per day
Electronic waste of computers
Money issues - poorer countries often can’t afford to dispose of waste safely e.g. toxic waste has to be treated and this can be expensive, often more urgent problems like healthcare
Infrastructure - poorer countries don’t have the infrastructure needed e.g. poor roads in squatter settlements mean waste disposal lorries can’t get in to collect rubbish
Impacts of air pollution
Pollution in cities - can cause health problems like headaches and bronchitis
Coal-fired power stations cause deaths
High levels of CO2 cause global warming
Some pollutants destroy the ozone layer which protect us from the sun’s harmful rayas
Strategies to manage air pollution
Companies should use a cleaner, more renewable source of energy
Carbon tax
Use of low sulphur coal
Attempts to reduce traffic in the city
Setting air quality standards for industries
Monitoring levels of pollutants to check their safe
Strategies to manage water pollution
Water treatment plans e.g. Ganges river and Shanghai
Building sewage treatment plants
Passing laws which force factories to remove pollutants from waste water
Impacts of water pollution
Harms ecosystems, kills fish, disrupts food chain
Contamination of water supplies with sewage can cause water-borne diseases e.g. cholera
Harmful chemicals can build up in the food chain and poison humans who eat fish from polluted water
What is sustainable development
Meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Causes of water pollution
Expanding cities lead to more industrialisation and factories release industrial chemicals into water sources like rivers and streams
Key features of a sustainable city (there are 10. Ik.)
1) Services are accessible to all including cultural and social facilities
2) Public transport is seen as a viable alternative to cars and is safe and reliable
3) Walking and cycling is safe
4) Areas of open space are safe, accessible and enjoyable
5) Wherever possible, renewable resources are used instead of non-renewable resources
6) Waste is seen as a resource and is recycled wherever possible
7) New homes are energy efficient
8) There is access to affordable housing
9) Communities work together, to deal with issues such as crime/security
10) Investment is made to the CBD
Environmental ways of maintaining a sustainable city
Designated areas of accessible open space e.g. parks
Building nature conservations - conserves nature for future generations
Building on brownfield sites - makes city look nicer and stops the green space from being used up so it can be used in the future
Recycling schemes - less resources used up or wasted in landfill sites
Safe disposal of toxic waste - helps reduce water pollution and contamination
Transport ways of maintaining a sustainable city
Good, efficient public transport system
Less car use, so less pollution
Systems to link city centres with outskirts
Social ways of maintaining a sustainable city
Including local people in decision making process, community involvement
Provision of an efficient public transport system
Low poverty rate
High job availability with good pay and good working conditions
Housing ways of maintaining a sustainable city
New housing to be built on open space which is safer as less street parking
Solar panels for more renewable energy
Encouraged development of inner city
Use of green belts to prevent urban sprawl
Where is Curitiba and what is its population?
Southern Brazil, 1.8 million people
How is Curitiba working towards sustainability?
Reducing car use
Plenty of open spaces and conserved natural environments
Good recycling system
How does Curitiba have plenty of open space and conserved natural environments?
Green space has increased significantly (0.5m2 pp 1970-52m2 pp in 1990)
Over 1000 parks- many in flood-prone areas so that land is useful but no serious damage if floods
1.5 million trees along streets
Builders are given tax breaks if projects include green space
What are Curitiba’s aims?
Improve the environment
Reduce pollution and waste
Improve quality of life for residents
How is Curitiba reducing car use?
Very efficient bus system (BRT) -reduce boarding time, bus only lanes
Cheap fare for everyone-benefits poorer people living on the outskirts
200km of bike paths
Car use is 25% lower than national average and one of the lowest levels of air pollution in Brazil
Examples of settlement functions
Market town (eg. Guildford) Cultural+religious (eg. York) Academic (eg. Oxford) Ports (eg. Plymouth) Tourist resorts (eg. Brighton) (don't bother learning the towns I just added it)
Positive impacts of sustainability in Curitiba
Reduced Car Use - Less pollution means environment won’t be damaged for future residents and doesn’t use fossil fuels, which are finite resources
Conserved Green Open Spaces - means they will still be good for future residents
Recycling - means that fewer resources are used and less waste goes to landfill - more resources for future generations
Better Quality of Life - 99% of residents said they were happy with their town
How do urban renewal schemes help housing shortages in MEDCs?
Government strategies (first used in the 1990s) to encourage investment in new housing and services in derelict inner city areas e.g. Dockland development in Liverpool
How do new towns help housing shortages in MEDCs?
Built to house the overspill population from existing towns with a housing shortage e.g. Milton Keynes
How do relocation incentives help housing shortages in MEDCs?
Used to encourage people living in large council houses, who don’t really need to, move out of urban areas. This frees up houses in urban areas for others e.gt. working families
Strategies to support multiculturalism
1) Making sure everyone can access information about services e.g. printing leaflets in different languages
2) Providing interpreters at places like hospitals and police stations
3) Including people from all ethnic communities in local politics
4) Acceptance of traditional and religious dress in schools and society
What is segregation?
Where people of a particular ethnic group choose to live with others from the same ethnic group, separate from other groups.
What are Local Authority Schemes?
These are funded by the local government and are about improving the temporary accommodation built by residents
Characteristics of a squatter settlement after one year
1) Corrugated iron roofs, cardboard walls, waste material
2) No toilets or running water
3) Informal sector jobs
Characteristics of a squatter settlement after 1-10 years
1) Improved roofs and more sustainable houses
2) Electricity illegally stolen from overhead power lines
3) Sanitation is still an issue and no running water
Characteristics of a squatter settlement after 10-20 years
1) Better quality houses with more secure structure and bricks
2) Simple sewage system and water being piped
3) Roads are paved with gravel and some houses buy electricity
4) Some regular employment in multinational factories
Where is urbanisation happening the fastest?
LEDCs, at a fast pace
Where do most people live in MEDCs?
Most of the population in richer countries already live in urban areas e.g. more than 80% of the UK’s population live in urban areas
Where do most people live in LEDCs?
Not many of the population in poorer countries currently live in urban areas e.g. around 25% of the population of Bangladesh live in urban areas
What are the impacts of increased use of road transport on the environment?
More air pollution therefore more carbon emissions - CO2 contributes to global warming and associated sea level rise
More road accidents
Air pollution damages buildings
More traffic jams and congestion
What are some solutions to help reduce traffic and its impacts?
1) Improving public transport - encourages people to use public transport instead of cars, which reduces traffic congestion, traffic jams and accidents
2) Increasing car parking charges in city centres - discourages car use, so people are more likely to use public transport instead
3) Bus priority lanes - these speed up bus services so people are more likely to use them
4) Pedestrianisation of central areas - removes traffic from the main shopping streets which reduces the number of accidents and air pollution levels, also makes these areas more attractive to shoppers
Reasons for segregation
1) If they have arrived recently from overseas and don’t speak the same language, they are with people who speak the same language as them
2) People will want to live near to services that are important to their culture e.g. places of worship
3) People can feel a sense of similarity, safety and security when living with people of the same ethnicity
4) People are less susceptible to racism from others living around them as they are of the same ethnicity
What are the effects of living in squatter settlements on people’s lives?
- People living there don’t have access to basic services like clean running water, proper sewers or electricity, may also lack policing, medical services and fire fighting - life expectancy is often lower than in the main city, lower quality of life due to crime and illnesses
- Many inhabitants work in the informal sector (e.g. selling hand made goods or washing clothes) and these jobs aren’t taxed or monitored by the government - people often work long hours for little pay, lower standard of living
- Overcrowded, stacked housing means lots of people living together, disease can spread easily
- Litter and plastic in water sources or streets - Litter may attract rats, flies and other vermin which carry infectious diseases, these spread easily because of the high population density living in unsanitary conditions
- But squatter settlements often have a strong community spirit
How do the inhabitants help to improve their squatter settlements over time?
Neighbours help each other with building and some have even built small schools
Inhabitants slowly try to improve their housing with better quality materials
How can CBDs be improved?
1) Pedestrianising areas - safer and nicer for shoppers, attracting more people to the CBD
2) Improving access with better transport links and better car parking - more accessible, easier to get there, people will be more attracted to visit
3) Improving public areas e.g. parks and squares - making them more attractive for people to visit
4) Introducing security cameras - help reduce rates of crime, making CBD safer and if people living there feel safer, this improves their quality of life
What strategies are there to try and reduce housing shortages in MEDCs?
Urban renewal schemes
New towns
Relocation incetives
What are the issues facing many urban areas?
1) Shortage of good quality housing
2) Run down CBDs
3) Traffic congestion and pollution from cars
4) Ethnic segregation
Why are CO2 emissions bad for the environment
CO2 builds up in the atmosphere, doesn’t allow heat from the sun to escape, heats up air temperatures, also leading to thermal expansion and rising sea levels.
How does litter cause disease?
Litter may attract rats, flies and other vermin which carry infectious diseases
Why is there a housing shortage in the UK?
Population growth - the population of England and Wales grew by 4m to 56.1m in the decade to 2011
Demand for second homes
More people living alone - higher divorce rates, young people
Greenbelt
Economic difficulties
What were Urban Development Corporations?
A major strategy introduced in the 1980s by the Government to improve conditions in inner cities
The aim was to regenerate inner city areas with large amounts of derelict and unused land by taking over planning responsibility from local councils
What did UDCs do?
They had to power to buy and reclaim land, convert old buildings and improve infrastructure through the investment of government money
They also attracted private sector investment through offering companies reduced taxes and other benefits and in doing so, they promoted industrial, residential and community developments
What was the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC)?
A UDC that was set up in 1981 to try and improve the social, economic and environmental conditions of the London Docklands inner city area. It ran for 17 years ending in 1998
What were the impacts of the LDDC on the London Docklands inner city?
Social - a total of 24,046 new homes were built, a national indoor sports centre and a marina for watersports was built
Environmental - 762 hectares of derelict land reclaimed, 17 conservation areas set up
Economic - 85,000 people now work in the London Docklands area, Canary Wharf regeneration - major banks
How successful was the London Docklands regeneration?
Yes - improved housing, improved accessibility, more trade and thousands of new jobs for locals
No - original residents couldn’t afford new expensive housing, reduction in community spirit
How can residents benefit from a government inner city scheme?
Increase in safety and security - better quality of life
More good quality housing - better standard of living
Reduced crime rates - better quality of life
Happier to live there - better quality of life
How was Birmingham’s CBD revitalised?
New and improved buildings e.g. Bull Ring with 146 shops and Moor Street Station - more attractive to visit
Pedestrianisation - safer, less overcrowded
Encouraged public transport use and cycling
New CBD attracts business
