Urban Issues and Challenges - London Flashcards
Brownfield Site
An old industrial site that is cleared for a new building development.
Economic Opportunities
any purchase, sale, lease or other transaction or involving property or services where one may gain an economic benefit.
Greenfield sites
sites which have not previously been built on.
Inequalities
idea that different people experience different standards of living.
Integrated transport systems
all of the different forms of transport can link to one another.
Mega-city
large cities with over 10 million people
Natural Increase
When the amount of births is greater than the amount of deaths
Pollution
the introduction of harmful materials into the environment
Rural-Urban Fringe
where the edge of a city and meets the countryside.
Sanitation
conditions relating to public health, especially the provision of clean drinking water and adequate sewage disposal.
A case study of urban issues and challenges of a major city in the UK
London
Example of an urban regeneration project
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford
What percentage of the world’s population lives in urban areas today?
54%
Urbanisation
opposite=counter urbanisation
The increasing proportion of people living in urban areas
Social deprivation
the extent to which a person, or a community, lacks what they really need to have a decent life, such as work, money, housing, and services.
Social opportunities
refers to the amount of options open to an individual or group of individuals in a social setting
Squatter settlement
a general term to encompass low-quality housing, occupied by the poor
Three examples of megacities
Rio de Janeiro Cairo Mumbai London Beijing Istanbul
4 examples of economic push factors (
Over population
Lack of services
Poverty
Mechanisation of farming(bad thing)
3 examples of economic pull factors
Higher employment
better services
more wealth
4 examples of physical push factors
Land scarce
flooding
Drought
Crop failure
3 examples of physical pull factors
Lower risk from natural hazards
More fertile land
good climate
4 examples of social push factors
Political and/or religious persecution
Civil War
High crime
lack of safety
4 examples of social pull factors
Hope for a new life
Political stability
Safer, less crime
Promise of freedom
Population density
the number of people in a given area
One fact about London’s importance: Location & Population
London has a population of over 9million people
One fact about London’s importance: Travel
Public transport journeys have increased by 40% since 2000
One fact about London’s importance: Tourism
London has the highest tourist spend in the world with $2.1billion in 2011
One fact about London’s importance: Finance
Generates approx. 30% of the UK’s GDP
2 facts about London’s importance: Education
London has 40 higher education institutions
1/5th UK student population are in London
One fact about London’s importance: Cultural Diversity
Over 2 million don’t speak English at home
36% Londoners from minority ethnic groups
2 facts about London’s importance: Jobs
- 1million people commute to london for work every day
5. 3 million jobs
One fact about London’s importance: Business
London stock exchange is the largest in the world
One fact about London’s importance: Environmentally
40% of London is green space - greenest city in the world
4 cultural impacts of migration on London
London riots
Chinese Culture/influence
London arts/heritage
Mini-India (Southall)
Examples of recreation and entertainment in London
Buskers National Gallery West End Street Art Box park Vintage Markets Covent Garden
Social and Economic Challenges of Urban Change
Urban decline
deprivation
dereliction
inequalities
Environmental Challenges of Urban Change
Building on Brownfield & greenfield sites
waste disposal
Atmospheric pollution
Urban Sprawl
Urban Deprivation facts (poverty)
More than 1/4 of London’s population lives in poverty
60% children in Camden live in low income housholds
What does low education funding lead to in poorer areas
Less funding leads to students living in poorer areas to leave school with fewer qualifications
then means that there are high levels of unemployment and low wages
How is health affected in deprived areas
Deprived areas normally have lower life expectancies and unhealthy lifestyles
Housing facts in London
House prices are rising faster that anywhere else in the UK
Affordable housing is often in very poor condition
How many hectares of brownfield sites are there that are not in line for any developement
250 hectares
London’s waste facts
Around 25% of London’s waste goes to landfill
London produces 20million tonnes of waste every year
Effects of Urban Sprawl
More Traffic
Health Issues
Environmental Issues
Higher Taxes (the public pay for new infrastructure like new housing)
Commuter settlement
where people live and travel elsewhere to work
Example of a town that has eaten into greenbelt
Crawley
Advantages of building on Brownfield sites
Sites are available since industry declined
Reduces Urban sprawl
Public transport in urban areas (less cars)
New development can improve the urban environment
Disadvantages of building on Brownfield sites
Old buildings would need to be demolished first
Ground may need to be decontaminated
Land is more expensive
Advantages of building on Greenfield sites
Land is cheaper
No demolition or decontamination needed
Disadvantages of building on Greenfield sites
Public transport is worse in rural areas(more cars)
Increases urban sprawl
Once land is built on, it is unlikely to be turned back to countryside
Natural habitats destroyed
Valuable farmland lost
Groups of people that would be for building on the Greenbelt land
Builders
Poorer People
Groups of people who would be against building on greenbelt land
Animal rights people
Environmentalists
Rich people (can afford to buy more expensive houses)
People who already live in the urban area (ruin their views, increase traffic, overcrowded town)
An example of a regeneration project
Queen Elizabeth Park (Olympic Park) Stratford
As well as being the second poorest borough in London, Newham has a low average annual salary of:
£20,000
The London Dockland Regeneration Scheme created:
New homes, New city airport, Dockland Light Railway to link the docklands to the city of London
Newham has the youngest and most diverse community in London. How many % are under 24?
41%
What did the Olympic committee promise to do with the Strafford and Newham area
Decontaminate the land
Revitalise brownfield sites
create a sustainable legacy
Why could businesses not afford to relocate even after being given money from the Olympic committee
Because since the Olympics had been announced land prices had shot up
what was done with the materials gained from demolishing and cleaning old sites in Lea Valley
90% were reused in the new building sites
Where is the Olympic park
to the north of the Thames on the borders of Newham Waltham Forest Hackney and Tower Hamlets
Why was Lower Lea Valley chosen for regeneration
- Low employment rate (jobs)
- plenty of overgrown, derelict brownfield sites
- River Lea was contaminated and unusable
- many rubbish dumping sites
Environmental cons of the Olympic games
3.3 MILLION TONS OF C02 PRODUCED - (many of the materials used had to be shipped from over seas plus all the travellers
Much of the wildlife had to be relocated
Economic cons of the Olympic games
Total bill was 5billion over budget
Existing businesses had to move
Social cons of the Olympic games
Very few of the jobs created went to the local people
Affordable housing had to be destroyed which meant for some people their rent more than doubled
Environmental pros of the games
The grounds are open to the public as parkland
560 hectares of brownfield sites were decomtaminated
Social pros of the olympics
40% of east village is affordable housing
A new school was opened on the ground after there was a shortage of places called Chobham Academy
How long had H Foreman and Sons been in the area
106 years
Sustainable city
a city that can meet its needs without making it more difficult for future generations to meet theirs
Features of sustainable urban living
Energy and water conservation
waste recycling
creating green space
transport strategies
`How East village residential blocks were made more sustainable
Green rooves - wildlife, slow down water dropping off
Car Parking was more expensive for residents encouraging them to have less cars
How is East Village an almost circular economy
Any natural waste that they produce is burnt as biomass to produce electricity. The excess heat given off during this process in used to heat water which is then pumped underground straight back to the local areas
how has London attempted to manage traffic
- Encourage public transport - London Underground takes 3 million people off the streets everyday
- Congestion charging to discourage drivers from entering the city at peak times
- Bus priority lanes so that they don’t get caught in traffic so are quicker and so more attractive
What did Waltham Forest do to decrease Traffic congestion
BIKES 22km new segregated cycle tracks 1200+ new bike racks Loaned out bikes for free 7 cycle hubs
And modal filters were built to stop rat runs
