regen L12 rural regeneration Flashcards
Challenges for rural areas
- lack of transport infrastructure (78% rely on cars)
- disappearance of rural services (3x longer wait for an ambulance)
- changing rural economy — farming contributed 2% to UK economy in 2022
- declining population — 1.1% every year since 2017
- lack of affordable housing — rural 3 bed detached = £500k
- changes in the farming industry — inheritance tax
Cornwall — rural regen
population: 570k (2021)
- 17 of Cornwall’s districts were within the top 10 most deprived areas of the UK in recent years
— used to be for mining tin, copper & silver
— famous surfing location
Old economy: primary sector (year round)
New economy: tertiary sector (low paid, part-time, seasonal)
what led to the decline of Cornwall?
- exhaustion of raw materials
— tin & copper mining
— over fishing
— quarrying - outsourcing
— cheaper workforce abroad - imports
— cheaper production cost abroad
Reasons for regeneration in Cornwall
- No major motorways or rail networks — congestion during summer tourist rush
- seasonal tourism industry — (£2bn in summer vs £10m in winter)
- journey times to nearest major city & airport is 4 hrs minimum
- ageing population — 25% 65+
- most houses remain empty during autumn & winter months
What is Regional Aid?
aid given to companies that wish to invest there (investor incentives)
What is Core-Periphery Theory?
— distribution of economic & social power
- core dominates
- peripheral —> rural
Newquay Aerohub Science Park
- attached to a decommissioned airfield — 75 acre site
— Skybus, Appleaviation, Standard Airforce
strengths:
- TNCs get tax breaks and subsidies
- 20 years of planning freedom
- over 900 aerospace companies in the SW
- fastest broadband speed in the UK
- daily flights to London
- tourism still continues to thrive
- future tourism for filming locations
weaknesses:
- Airfield permanently closed
- not very well known
- lost orbital rocket/satellite carrying
- have to retrain FARMERS to become ROCKET SCIENTISTS?????
- overall economic loss due to lack of investment
The Eden Project (2001) Cornwall
KEY PLAYERS
National Government - £20 mil
The EU - £50 mil
National Lottery - £56 mil
Commercial loans & other funds - £14 mil
The Eden Project Cornwall
How well does it suit Cornwall?
located in the St Blazey ward.
started as a trial to see if the public would use it — now a global movement
site was previously used as a china-clay quarry — started to change in 1999
- local residents have free entry — served as a garden centre, school, education centre & concert venue
- free entry for those who cycle
Benefits of The Eden Project?
Social:
- employed 650 directly
- educated approx. 600k school children
- positive multiplier effect — hotels, b&bs
Economic:
- generated £2bn for cornish economy over 20 years
- attracted 13 million visitors
- gives tourists a place to visit out of season
Environmental:
- home to over 1000 varieties of plants
- has over 450 rare species — “corpse flower”
- encourages environmentally friendly transport
Costs of The Eden Project
Social:
- frequent clash between locals and tourists
- demand for housing increased
Economic:
- last major maintenance bill cost £70 mil
- jobs on site are still low pay
Environmental:
- traffic congestion increases air & noise pollution
- litter
- travel by car
Does The Eden Project provide solutions to rural challenges?
- provides year round employment for research jobs but NOT tourist jobs
- improves & boosts tertiary tourist economy & helps improve quaternary research economy
- still no motorway, main roads, fast train journeys
- helped to put local towns on the map (Charlestown, Par Sands Beach)
Cornwall Project #2: Combined Universities of Cornwall (2005)
KEY PLAYERS
- University College Falmouth
- Exeter University
- Trivo & Pennith Colleges
Combined Universities of Cornwall
How well does it suit the environment and people?
- now has more than just a select few specialist colleges & schools
Combined Universities of Cornwall
BENEFITS
- Healthy property rental market
- Helps graduates set up businesses or secure jobs in knowledge-based subjects
- thriving evening economy of bars & restaurants
- students support the leisure industry
Combined Universities of Cornwall
COSTS
- college aren’t well known or high league universities
- students still more likely to move away
- not likely to get non-cornish students
Combined Universities of Cornwall
does it provide solutions to rural challenges?
- requires highly educated people to teach there
- still limited access to Cornwall so no non-cornish students expected
- helping to set up businesses boosts economy
- means the population are more highly qualified and can get higher paying jobs BUT still more likely to move away
St. Blazey, Cornwall AGE STRUCTURE
Below 15 group and Above 60 group above UK average
St. Blazey, Cornwall ETHNICITY STRUCTURE
98% WHITE
(UK avg 81%)
St. Blazey, Cornwall OCCUPATION STRUCTURE
Professional Occupations 11% (9% BELOW AVG)
Skilled trades Occupations 16% (6% ABOVE AVG)
St. Blazey, Cornwall COUNTRY OF BIRTH STRUCTURE
97% UK (Avg is 83%)
St. Blazey, Cornwall HIGHEST LEVEL OF QUALIFICATION STRUCTURE
No Qualifications 20% (2% ABOVE avg)
Level 4+ 22% (12% BELOW avg)
Level 1, 2, 3 10% ABOVE avg
