London Docklands Flashcards
When were the London docks globally important
In the 19th and early 20th centuries
When did the London docks begin to decline and why
From the 1960s onwards the docks began to decline because of changes in the shipping industry - the London docks were not large or deep enough to accommodate the larger container ships
When were large areas of the Docklands in a derelict state
By 1980
What were issues with the Docklands in 1980
*150,000 people had lost their jobs
*20% of housing was not suitable to live in
*The Docklands had poor public transport, was not well linked to the rest of the city
What was set up in 1981 to redevelop the London docks
The London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC)
When was the LDDC set up
1981
How did the LDDC improve the economy
*Part of the area was made an enterprise zone from 1982 to 1992 (areas where taxes are lowered and planning restrictions are relaxed to encourage businesses to locate)
*By 1998 there were 2,700 businesses trading in the Docklands and the area had attracted £7.7 billion of private investment
*New businesses created jobs - by 1998 85,000 people worked there
How much private investment did the Docklands attract
£7.7 billion
How many businesses were trading in the Docklands by 1998
2,700
How did the LDDC improve housing
24,000 new homes were built, including 6,250 housing association or local authority houses
How did the LDDC improve transport
The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) opened in 1987 which cut journey times to Central London to less than 20 minutes
How did the LDDC improve education
New schools and colleges were built and existing schools were improved e.g. new IT equipment
How did the LDDC improve the environment
*The docks were refurbished
*New outdoor spaces were created, including an ecology park at Bow Creek
How has re-urbanisation affected the Docklands population
Since 1980 the population has doubled
What were some negative impacts of the Docklands re-urbanisation
*Many of the original residents felt the LDDC favoured luxury developments rather than affordable housing - conflict between original and newer, more affluent residents
*Many of the original residents were unable to find work. Jobs on offer were often skilled positions in the service industry (e.g. banking)
In 1981, what percentage of the Docklands were either unskilled or semi-skilled
36%
How have the Docklands tried to manage the impact on unskilled workers
*Centres were set up to provide training. e.g. £1.5 million was spent on an IT centre which trained unemployed 16-18 year olds in basic electronics and computer programming. It gave them work experience and a degree at the end of the course
*The LDDC also supported Skillnet - a job agency which provided people with the skills they needed to find work in the area (e.g. construction)
How have the Docklands tried to manage the impacts of a lack of affordable housing
In some areas of the Docklands the LDDC asked for 40% of new housing to be sold at an affordable price to the original residents
