Contemporary Urban Environments- Urbanisation Flashcards
Define urban growth
The increase in the total population of a town or city
Define urbanisation
The increase in the proportion of the population living in urban centres
Define urban expansion
The increase in size or geographical footprint of a city
Push factors of rural-urban migration
- population growth leads to over-farming and low yields
- agricultural problems eh. desertification
- high levels of local disease and inadequate medical care in rural areas
- globalisation of agriculture- growing of ‘cash crops’ destroys traditional rural communities
- natural disasters cause people to flee urban areas
- war leads to people fleeing land
Pull factors of rural-urban migration
- employment in factories and service industries (eg. hotels)
- increasingly high demand for unskilled labour in cities
- able to earn money from the informal sector
- better quality social provisions (eg. education and healthcare)
- perceived better quality of life
Define informal sector
People have no salary and no guaranteed income. They are paid ‘cash-in-hand’ and don’t pay taxes
Define formal industry
People are given a salary and pay taxes
Define urban sprawl
The spread of an urban area into the surrounding countryside
Negative impacts of urban sprawl
- requires more roads and infrastructure such as pipes, cables and wires
- one of the main causes of wildlife habitat loss
- causes more commuting- more fuel consumption and traffic congestion
- increases air pollution
- contributed to loss of farmland
- movement of people and businesses out to suburbs contributes to decentralisation
Characteristics of brownfield sites
- derelict sites in urban areas
- land can be costly to reclaim if it has been polluted by industrial use
- housing likely to be built at high density
- sites tend to be small patches of land
- environment is generally improved
Characteristics of greenfield sites
- new sites, usually in agricultural land in green belts around urban areas
- land not available unless planning permission is obtained
- housing relatively low density
- infrastructure costs high
- sites tend to be larger
- environment changed from rural to urban use
Why is there likely to be a faster growth of the no. of households in the UK?
- increase in adult pop. which accounts for 77% of growth in demand- ageing pop. contributes to this
- more divorces and later marriages- 71% of households will be single people
Define suburbanisation
The movement of people from city centres to the outskirts
Push factors of suburbanisation
- some housing in cities is poor quality
- as countries develop, gov. often clears low quality housing in city centre and builds new houses outside
- deindustrialisation in city centres leads to people losing their jobs
- as unemployment increases in the city people have less money to spend there so local shops/services close- move to the suburbs
Pull factors of suburbanisation
- planning laws more relaxed outside city centres- easier to build houses
- housing estates are more spacious- green environment
- improvements in public transport makes commuting easier- also increasing car ownership
- as businesses move to outskirts, more jobs are created in the suburbs
Reasons for growth of LA (suburbanisation)
- Transport: arrival of transcontinental railroad in 1876 stimulated rapid pop. growth (0.5m in 40 years)
- Employment: discovery of oil and opening of Ford car plant provided manufacturing jobs
- Image: development of film industry in Hollywood created a glamorous image of the city
- Greater affluence: gave people more choice where to live
Define counter-urbanisation
- the movement of people from large urban areas into smaller urban areas/rural areas
- leap frogging rural-urban fringe
Push factors for counter urbanisation
- people want to escape the air and noise pollution of the city
- city centres have problems with congestion and parking
- rising house prices in suburban areas- people not getting value for money
Pull factors of counter urbanisation
- houses in smaller settlements/rural areas are less densely packed
- more outside space/greenery
- people believe this will improve quality of life
- improved communication services mean people can work from home
- tech improvements- no need for companies to be based in city centres now
Positive impacts of counter urbanisation
- some services see an increase in business- newer residents are often more wealthy + have disposable income
- existing houses renovated (eg. farm houses renovated)
- if families move to rural areas schools can stay open
Negative impacts of counter urbanisation
- development can affect character of rural areas
- some rural shops/services may close- residents can afford to travel
- rural roads/infrastructure struggle to cope with additional traffic (more air pollution)
- schools may close if new residents are old (eg. retired)
- more demand for housing so prices increase- young people can’t afford the houses
Define ribbon development
Development occurs along roads to ensure good access
Define adjuncts
Housing estates and other large scale developments
Define urban resurgence
The regeneration, both economic and structural, of an urban area which has suffered a period of decline
Example of urban resurgence- New York City High Line
- previously a 1.5 mile long section of elevated rail track
- converted into public green space
- Friends of the High Line founded in 1999- planning for the high line began in 2003 and took 2 years
- gov. accepted ownership in 2005
- irrigation system designed into the High Line and inspired by self seeding landscape
- 5 million more visitors to the Upper West Side as a result
Bangalore background info
- beta + world city
- hub for technology
- economic growth of 10.3%
- ranked 2nd in software after USA
Social issues in Bangalore as a result of economic growth
- growing divide between middle and working classes
- increased pressure for housing challenges traditional housing patterns
- increased rents forced locals to move out of city centre
- slums become permanent feature of the city
Economic benefits in Bangalore as a result of economic growth
- has become the largest job-creating city in India
- has spearheaded India’s drive into a new globalised economy
- informal sector meets needs of tech companies
Political benefits in Bangalore as a result of economic growth
- in the 1970s the gov. set aside large pieces of land for tech companies
- by the 1990s the I.T industry rapidly expanded
- gov. were proactive in developing new housing and infrastructure
Demographic issues in Bangalore as a result of economic growth
- some argue Bangalore is growing at an unsustainable rate
- youthful pop. guarantees growth for several decades- puts pressure on urban infrastructure and services
