Contemporary Urban: Birmingham

Question 1

Location:

Answer 1

• Birmingham is located centrally located within the uk
• central part of wet midlands
• population of 1.1 million
  -m migration peaked in Industrial Revolution

Question 2

Importance within Uk

Answer 2

• direct rail way links within UK cities: used by 34 million people in 2014
• Birmingham one of the greenest uk cities; 8000 acres of parks and open space.
• range of major companies: bbc, jaguar and Land Rover.

Question 3

International importance

Answer 3

• European cities rated Birmingham among top 15 best cities in Europe 2009.
• £13b invested in infrastructure development over next decade.
• Birmingham airport had over 4 million customer in 2014.
• provides space for 300 companies from outside Uk

Question 4

Urban change and opportunities for Birmingham

Answer 4

Social and economic:
- five universities and over 50 000 students
- excellent transport links: M5, M6, M40, M42
- bullring shopping centre has over 160 shops and an average of 750 000 visitors weekly.

Environmental:
- opening east side city park: 6 acre park
- developing green roofs and walls, increase biodiversity.

Question 5

Urban change and challenges in Birmingham

Answer 5

Social and economic:
- urban deprivation: quality of life below acceptable standard: 6th most deprived.
- spark Brooke and Sutton four oaks: inequality (stats next card)

Environmental:
- air pollution: poor air quality, high levels of nitrogen dioxide from factories and cars
- water pollution: rivers and streams polluted runoff from roads, wrongly connected drains and incorrect disposal of waste.
-urban waste: produce 3.2 million tonne of waste per year.

Question 6

Inequality

Answer 6

Sparkbrook:

Unemployment- 24.5%
Working age population with no qualifications- 49.7%
Pupils with 5 GCSEs (A-C)- 51%
Children living in poverty- 49%
Average household income- £21 000

Sutton four oaks:

Unemployment- 3.1%
Working age population with no qualifications- 20.9%
Pupils with 5 GCSEs (A-C)- 74%
Children living in poverty- 7%
Average household income- £40 000

Question 7

Sustainability

Answer 7

• constructing more cycle lanes to reduce air pollution
• regenerate derelict areas
• increasing green spaces
• improve waste management: decrease amount of waste going to landfills