Human geography Birmingham Case study

Question 1

Where is Birmingham Key Facts

Answer 1

West Midlands
Large Metropolitan Region
Second largest city after London
1.1 million residents in 2014
18th century PROCESSING COTTON was Invented

Question 2

Medieval Birmingham Early development

Answer 2

Metal-working ESTABLISHED
Due to FIRST PLAYERS de Bermingham family purchasing land to ENABLE TRADE
Products consisted of SWORDS and BLADES

Question 3

Industrial Revolution In Birmingham Development 18th and 19th century

Answer 3

By 1700s POPULATION grown to 15,000
INHABITANTS migrated from RURAL AREAS to look for EMPLOYMENT (ECONOMIC MIGRATION)
MIDDLE CLASSES increased due to SERVICE SECTORS(LAW and BANKING) Increased
Soho Factory established 1761 brought 700 EMPLOYEES
19th Century -JEWELLERY BUTTON and BRASS INDUSTRIES PREVALENT
Lloyds And MIDLAND BANKS founded in BIRMINGHAM
Transport Infrastructure helped PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL GROWTH
Birmingham railway opened 1838

Question 4

1900-1950s Birmingham Devleopment Part 1

Answer 4

New Engineering INDUSTRIES developed AUSTIN CAR PLANT In 1906
Vehicle INDUSTRY Grew so did SMALL FIRMS supplying the industry with VEHICLE COMPONENTS
E.G DUNLOP TYRE Company founded in BIRMINGHAM employed 10,000 people by the 1950s
First half of 20th century BIRMINGHAM sustained ECONOMIC GROWTH
As well as Population Growth (People from rural areas as well as Ireland

Question 5

1900-1950s Birmingham Devleopment Part 2 Housing

Answer 5

LARGE Terraced houses built for WORKERS in the INDUSTRIES -people were walking distance of their work
Middle Class helped drive URBAN EXPANSION with their ABILITY to be able to AFOORD to COMMUTE
TRANSPORT INNOVATIONS such as trams SUBURBAN railways and buses facilitated URBAN EXPANSION
UNTIL 1950S EMPLOYMENT was dominated by Males with 60% having SKILLED WORKERS. PREDOMINANTLY WHITE in ETHNIC ORIGIN
Suburbs such as NORTHFIELD and MARSTON GREEN -SEMI DETACHED housing with LARGE LOCAL ESTATE HOUSING e.g KINGSTANDING

Inner city Areas comprised of POOR QUALITY HOUSING at High DENSITY-e.g Aston and HANDSWIRTH
due to HIGH INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY Land sites heavily POLLUTED
With AIR POLLUTION REACHING high Levels e.g SULFUR DIOXIDE

Question 6

Birmingham Development Post War Employment statistics

Answer 6

1950s to 1960s unemployment was below 1%
1970-1983 earnings FELL from being the HIGHEST to LOWEST of any REGION
1982 UNEMPLOYMENT was 19.4 %
Employment in Metal Goods in 2000 FELL 22.6% to 5.8 compared to its original 28.4% in 1978
1970 49% of population did not OWN a Car

Question 7

Birmingham Development Decline Post War -Oil Crisis

Answer 7

Birmingham was caught up in a RECESSION during the 1970s as result of the OIL CRISIS IN 1973
as OIL PRICES increased due to Arab-Israeli war causing ECONOMIC SHOCK

Birmingham TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES were SUFFERING due to OVERSEAS COMPETITION from TNC who had LOWER PRODUCTION COSTS

Question 8

Birmingham Development Decline Post War British Vehicle Industry

Answer 8

By 1970s British vehicle industry was on a DECLINE
FOREIGN-based TNCs such JAPANESE CAR MANUFACTURERS were COMPETING highly in the BRITISH CAR MARKET -(their cars seen as more RELIABLE and better VALUE OF MONEY)

OVERSEAS car industries began establishing themselves in FACTORIES in the UK however NONE in the MIDLANDS
STRIKES became more FREQUENT in Car industries in BIRMINGHAM during 1970s- this made Birmingham LESS ATTRACTIVE to POTENTIAL INVESTORS

SMEs (SMALL and MEDIUM sized enterprises) were having their PREMISSES DEMOLISHED due to SLUM CLEARANCE PROGRAMS
This made it difficult to find NEW PREMISES

Question 9

Birmingham Development Decline Post War Housing

Answer 9

During WWII 5000 houses were DESTROYED
POST-WAR years Birmingham had 110,000 Sub-standard houses
Local Government resisted LARGE SCALE REDEVELOPMENT
But the scale of HOUSING NEED -meant that 400 tower blocks were built and between 1945 -1970 81,000 new dwellings

However this caused the REDISTRIBUTION of People CENTRAL ZONE of Birmingham was CLEARED of RESIDENTIAL LAND USE
This increased FLOWS of COMMUTERS from OUTER AREAS into the CENTRE -where the MAJORITY OF SERVICES WERE

Question 10

Birmingham Development Decline Post War-Demography Part 1

Answer 10

From the 1950s onwards INTERNATIONAL IN-MIGRATION in inner city was SIGNIFICANT
E.G 13.5% of Pakistani compared to the 2.1%in England
E.g 4.4% of Carribean compared to the 1.1% in England

Question 11

Birmingham Development Post War-Demography Part 2

Answer 11

Majority of the IMMIGRANTS tended to cluster in CHEAP HOUSING that had good ACCESS to Employment
The GROWING SERVICE SECTOR needed range of LOW-SKILLED JOBS such as OFFICE CLEANERS HOSPITAL PORTERS and TAXI DRIVERS
The Diversity has lead to a RANGE of ETHNIC FOOD SHOPS
As well as different RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE such as MOSQUES and TEMPLES

Question 12

Birmingham Development Post War- Age Demography Part 3

Answer 12

The City has a very youthful population COMPARED to rest of England

38% are 24% years old or younger COMPARED to ENGLANDS’S 31%
13% are 65 years or older COMPARED TO ENGLAND’S 16%

Question 13

Birmingham Recent Regeneration Key Facts

Answer 13

Socio-economic was at a decline and urban decay
However several PLAYERS have been helping REPOSITION Birmingham to a MODERN and FOWARD-LOOKING CITY
At a LOCAL REGIONAL NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SCALE

Question 14

Birmingham Recent Regeneration -Role of Local Government

Answer 14

Vital Role in Promoting Change
PROMOTED the CITY’S REGION-ATTRACTING inward investment to bring about CONSTRUCTION of the NATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE(NEC)
as well as the EXPANSION of adjoining BIRMINGHAM International Airport BOTH to the WEEST

Question 15

Birmingham Recent Regeneration -Role of National Government

Answer 15

Late 20th Century use of NATIONAL GOVERNMENT SCHEMES -I.e CITY CHALLENGE
SINGLE REGENERATION BUDGET were DESIGNED to help places access FUNDING for REDEVELOPMENT

Birmingham HEARTLANDS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION established in 1992-brought REGENERATION to OLD INDUSTRIAL AREAS such as NECHELLS

1999 the NEW DEAL for COMMUNITIES (NDCs) scheme helps PROVIDE BROADBAND ACCESS to parts of INNER CITY
As well as SETTING WORK-EXPERIENCE PROGRAMMES to help IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Question 16

Birmingham Recent Regeneration -Role of International Government

Answer 16

The City Council has a EUROPEAN and INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS TEAM who seek to PROMOTE BIRMINGHAM beyond the UK
And Gain FUNDING from various EU DEPARTMENT

£235MILLION secured from EU SOCIAL INVESTMENT FUND for the 2014-20 period

Money from the EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND(ERDF) gone into PROJECTS to IMPROVE INSULATION in RUN-DOWN SOCIAL HOUSING

And Building SMALL PREMISES for (SMEs)

Question 17

Birmingham Recent Regeneration - The Role of Planning

Answer 17

Important in bringing about PHYSICAL CHANGE helped act as a CATALYST for SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHANGES
More PUBLIC SPACES Developed in the CENTRE -CENTENARY SQUARE
VICTORIA SQUARE,COUNCIL HOUSE and TOWN HALL have been REFURBISHED

Question 18

Birmingham Recent Regeneration -Flagship Development

Answer 18

A Flagship Development,funded in part by the EU, was the
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE and Symphony Hall opened in 1991
Which resulted in The BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA a CULTURAL PLAYER which has helped ECONOMIC CHANGE

The Convention Centre (now the BARCLAYCARD CENTRE ) has attracted CONFERENCES INTERNATIONALLY -which has then provided HOTELS LEISURE CENTRES and RESTAURANTS BENEFITS with VISITORS coming to SPEND (multiplier effect)

The National Indoor Centre attracts large SPORTING EVENTS-I.e 2010 the WORLD WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Question 19

Birmingham Recent Regeneration - Other Players Universities

Answer 19

Other Important Players are the city’s UNIVERSITIES which have COMBINED POPULATION of 50,000- CONTRIBUTING to DEMOGRAPHY YOUTHFUL PROFILE

Economically -UNIVERSITIES EMPLOY large numbers of people who have INCOME TO SPEND same applies to STUDENTS who SPEND THEMSELVES
As well as providing HOST of GOODS AND SERVICES

Question 20

Birmingham Recent Regeneration -Service Provision (¡Ole Ole!)

Answer 20

Improving its Service Provision
The Bull Ring REDEVELOPMENT in the 1960s was Europes FIRST INDDOR SHOPPING CENTRE. It has been REFURBISHED

Flagship Buildings such as SELFRIDGES Department has had RADICAL DESIGN contributes to the city’s Status as the COUNTRY’S LEADING RETAIL CENTRES

Question 21

Birmingham Recent Regeneration -City Centre Environment

Answer 21

Significantly Upgraded
Streets have been PEDESTRIANISED and provided with HIGH-QUALITY STREET FURNITURE and trees

Question 22

Birmingham Recent Regeneration -City’s Canal

Answer 22

The City’s Canal and Surroundings were LARGELY IGNORED IN 20TH CENTURY
NOW they are playing a KEY ROLE in ECONOMIC Revitalisation
The Canal and River Trust set up in 2012 OVERSEE the CANAL SYSTEM as well as LOCAL GOVERNMENT and Private sector
Have helped REGENERATE LOCATIONS such as Gas Stret Basin

Question 23

Birmingham Recent Regeneration- Role of Transport Part 1 New Street

Answer 23

Transport Infrastructure has gone through DRAMATIC CHANGES in past 20 years

The Main Railway station-New Street has been TRANSFORMED by a 700million pound INVESTMENT, which involved NETWORK RAIL PRIVATE DEVELOPERS and RETAILERS(e.g John Lewis) creating an area called GRAND CENTRAL

Shops Cafes Restaurants and Offices helped create 1000 jobs

Question 24

Birmingham Recent Regeneration- Role of Transport Part 2 Tram System

Answer 24

Tram and light Rail systems have made a comeback -The Midland Metro links CENTRAL Birmingham with places such as West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. further expansion is taking place

Question 25

Birmingham Recent Regeneration- Role of Transport Part 3 HS2

Answer 25

HS2 is a national government flagship TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT that will impact Birmingham
A 20billion pound Phase 1 links London to Birmingham via HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY
It will involve host of players - i.e National Government TNCs involved in engineering and bank s as well as Non-governmental organisations such as NATIONAL TRUST

projected that it should stimulate EMPLOYMENT GROWTH in the city and make Birmingham 50mins away from LONDON making it more ATTRACTIVE for POTENTIAL INVESTMENT

Question 26

Birmingham Recent Regeneration- Role of Transport Part 4-Motorway Network

Answer 26

The M6 M1 M5 M40 AND M42 have been developed by NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
As well as PRIVATE INVESTMENT helping to reduce CONGESTION ON M6

Question 27

Birmingham Recent Regeneration- Role of Transport Part 1 BDP

Answer 27

Birmingham Development Plan guides DECISIONS on Development and regeneration of the city up till 2031-Dealing with WHERE NEW HOUSING JOBS SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE will be DELIVERED

Question 28

Birmingham Recent Regeneration- Role of Transport Part 5 BDP

Answer 28

BIRMINGHAM DEVELOPMENT PLAN deals with where NEW HOMES SERVICES JOBS AND INFRASTRUCTURE will be DELIVERED
as well,as guiding decisions on REGENERATION AND DEVELOPMENT in the city up till 2031