The Process Of Urban Growth

Question 1

Define Urbanisation

Answer 1

Urbanisation means the increase in the proportion or % of people living in urban places.

Question 2

What are the causes of Urbanisation?

Answer 2

• Rural-urban migration as people migrate to urban places due to a variety of push and pull factors
• Natural population growth in urban areas largely due to a youthful population

Question 3

Define Suburbanisation

Answer 3

Suburbanisation means the outward expansion of urban places.

Question 4

What are the causes of Suburbanisation?

Answer 4

• Improvements in transport which allow people to work and live in different places.
• Perceived benefits in quality of life in newer less crowded suburban locations

Question 5

Define Counter-Urbanisation

Answer 5

Counter-urbanisation is the increase in the proportion or % of people living in semi-rural or rural locations.

Question 6

What are the causes of Counter-Urbanisation?

Answer 6

• Further improvements in transport which allow people to live and work in different places
• Improvements in technology which allow some people to work remotely
• Perceived benefits in quality of life in rural environments

Question 7

Define De-Industrialisation

Answer 7

Deindustrialisation is the decline in traditional manufacturing or secondary economic activities.

Question 8

What are the causes of De-Industrialisation?

Answer 8

• Mechanisation and the consequent loss of employment

* Globalisation and comparative advantage as good can be produced more cheaply in NICs and LEDCs

Question 9

What does De-Industrialisation cause?

Answer 9

Deindustrialisation sets in motion the process of urban decline

Question 10

Define Urban Resurgence

Answer 10

Urban resurgence is the process by which urban places are given ‘new life’ as new investment aims to bring improved social, economic and environmental conditions to urban places.

Question 11

What are the causes of Urban Resurgence?

Answer 11

Urban regeneration schemes which can be Property led schemes (London Docklands), Partnership schemes (London Olympics) or by a process called Gentrification

Question 12

What urban regeneration schemes occurred in 1980s?

Answer 12

Conservative Governments
Inner city areas were declared problem areas due to economic collapse caused by decentralisation & de-industrialisation.
The policy was called the “Action for Cities”. It involved the following:

1. Derelict land grants for reclamation schemes including Garden Festivals which were set up in areas of urban decline (eg. Liverpool and Stoke). The aim was to ‘showcase’ an area by attracting visitors. The hope was that business would follow to a re-developed attractive site.
2. Enterprise zones set up in areas of high unemployment.
   Incentives offered to start up business such as reduced taxes for 10 years and less planning controls.
   + Attracted business of all kinds
   - Often companies relocated from nearby and so not ‘new’ business

Question 13

What urban regeneration schemes occurred in 1990s?

Answer 13

Conservative Governments
This policy was the City challenge.
Local authorities in which urban decline had occurred could bid for funds for specific projects. For example the derelict inner city of Leicester has been transformed with shops, services & housing. In total 30 city challenge partnerships were introduced in which local authorities worked with private companies to compete for funds to redevelop their areas.

Question 14

What urban regeneration schemes occurred in 2000s?

Answer 14

Labour Governments
The policy is “New deal for communities”
The aim was for a 10 year plan to transform the 39 most deprived neighbourhoods and improve the lives of local people.
+ Between 2002 and 2008 NDC partnerships saw and improvement in these areas for most indicators including crime, housing and health
- Some indicators did not improve such as education and unemployment
There were also large scale partnership schemes such as the 2012 Olympics and the regeneration of the Stratford and Newham areas.

Question 15

What are the 2 things that make Sub-urbanisation desirable? (Process of Suburbanisation)

Answer 15

Pull factors

1. People perceive that they will have a higher quality of life in the suburbs. In particular that families will have a more ‘peaceful environment’ with less crime, higher standards of education, less air/noise pollution and more access to open space/gardens.
2. Push factors are the reverse of the above

Question 16

What are the 2 things that make sub-urbanisation possible? (Process of Suburbanisation)

Answer 16

1. Improvements in public transport – as tramways and bus routes and in London the underground system all made it possible to live in a separate place to work. In the UK 1920’s onwards.
2. Improvements in disposable income – there are over 30 million cars in the UK a figure which has more than doubled since 1971. Improved personal mobility makes suburbanisation more attractive.

Question 17

Negative Effects of Suburbanisation?

Answer 17

• Suburbs are developed on ‘greenfield sites’. This leads to air, noise and visual pollution.
• Social segregation increases as it is more affluent families who migrate into the suburbs leaving an older and/or poorer population in the inner city.
• Increased levels of congestion and pollution led to problems for people on commuting routes and to commuter stress for those travelling.
• Traditional close knit community living is more difficult to achieve in low density suburbs in which people live a more isolated lifestyle

Question 18

Positive Effects of Suburbanisation?

Answer 18

• New retail and business parks follow the population. This decentralisation creates employment and wealth in outer urban places. Although it can result in urban decline in CBDs and inner urban places.
• There is the possibility of increased quality of life for suburbanites in leafy green suburbs like Surbiton in London and Groby in Leicester.
• The local tax base increases so that councils have more income to spend on……..

Question 19

Characteristics of Suburban Areas?

Answer 19

• The main land use is residential or housing. In the UK they are organised into housing estates with houses of a similar age. Houses are largely detached and semi-detached.
• They can be classified by tenure. The majority are privately owned but many were built as council estates for rent. These are now called social housing and tenants have had the right to buy their home since 1981.
• Other land uses include services such as schools, playing fields, parks, shopping parades and sometimes railway stations.

Question 20

Define Gentrification

Answer 20

This is a process of housing improvement by affluent individuals. It usually occurs in deprived inner urban areas.

Question 21

What are the signs of gentrification?

Answer 21

• Improved quality of housing – particularly ‘period properties’.
• A change in the type of services in the area – more bars, restaurants, antique shops and specialist food shops. All aimed at affluent professionals.
• Expensive cars parked in the street.

Question 22

What are the causes of gentrification?

Answer 22

1. Urban areas expand – urbanisation and large multi storey dwellings are built for the affluent urban classes in Victorian times (circa 1850-1900)
2. Then suburbanisation occurs which means that these areas are now surrounded by newer less expensive properties
3. Inner urban areas undergo urban decline in the 20th century as population and jobs decline
4. Large multi storey dwellings are broken up into flats and bedsits as these are now in the most deprived part of the city
5. Rapidly rising house prices and a desire to reduce commuting times create a demand for larger family properties in inner urban areas
6. Affluent individuals or property developers buy dilapidated properties with the aim of living here or selling to make a profit as house prices continue to rise
7. As this process continues an area can be said to have become gentrified.

Question 23

Positive Effects of Gentrification

Answer 23

• The local environment is improved. The area looks ‘smarter’
• Property prices increase in the area because demand increases. This can be positive because the local economy increases but can cause poorer families and first time buyers to struggle to afford living in the area
• The performance of local primary schools improve. More are graded as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ because affluent families put more pressure on schools.

Question 24

Negative Effects of Gentrification

Answer 24

• Property prices in the area increase because demand increases. This can be negative as first time buyers and poorer individuals may not be able to afford living in the area.
• The community may become ‘polarised’ with the gap between the wealthiest and the poorest increasing. As a result the community may ‘disintegrate’ and traditional community spirit is lost.

Question 25

What was the pattern of the forms of urbanisation in HICs over time?

Answer 25

In HICs (high income country), all 4 processes are occurring at the same time. Although it is likely that for a period, one process will dominate.

Question 26

What was the pattern of the forms of urbanisation in LICs over time?

Answer 26

In LICs (low income country), urbanisation continues to be the main urban process, but many Asian cities are already beginning to show the effects of suburbanisation + counter-urbanisation

Question 27

What is the pattern of the forms of urbanisation like in the UK over time?

Answer 27

• In the UK, 85% of the population live in urban areas (urbanisation).
• In the 1960s/70s, suburbanisation was the most dominant form of urbanisation. This is due to increase in car ownership (advances in transport) and advances in technology.
• In the 1980/90s, the most dominant form of urbanisation was counter-urbanisation. This is due to increase in car ownership (advances in transport) and advances in technology.
• Recently, many UK cities have experienced urban resurgence. This is likely due to a combination of push and pull factors, e.g. the young population move back into urban areas for university/education.