URBAN REDEVELOPMENT - London

Question 1

Why did the area decline?

Answer 1

• East End used to be industrial area - e.g. Docks
• But experienced decay after de-industrialisation
  
  • Offshoring
  • Containerisation
  • Disinvestment
• Growing Population
  
  • Newham has population of 270,000
  • Only 32% British
  • Highest fertility rate in the UK at 2.87
  • Causes unemployment - 56.2% unemployed compared with 6.5% London average

Question 2

What are the effects of urban decay?

Answer 2

• Unattractive - derelict land
• Few opportunities
  
  • Poor education
  • High crime - Newham has highest crime rate in UK
• Poverty
  
  • Contains 18% of London’s population but 62% of its areas of deprivation
• Crowdedness
  
  • Stratford Rail Hub 6th busiest station in UK, 100 million passengers per year

Question 3

What was the policy?

Answer 3

One of convergence: “Within 20 years the communities who host the 2012 Games will have the same social and economic chances as their neighbours across London.”

Emphasis on sustainaibility.

Question 4

What improvements were made?

Answer 4

• Housing:
  
  • Olympic Village converted into 9,000 new houses
  • 15 minutes from the Olympic venues
• New sports equipment:
  
  • Hackney stadium, former greyhound track, converted into stadium
  • Olympic Stadium converted into new aquatic centre
  • Number of sports clubs grew from 138 in 2002 to over 400 in 2012
• Transport improvements:
  
  • Cross Rail in 2018
  • Stratford International Terminal opened 2007, used symbiotically with Stratford Tube
  • 1 train arrives every 14 seconds
• Cosmetic developments:
  
  • ‘Fridge Mountain’, the largest pile of discarded white goods in Europe, was cleared
  • Replaced 2006 and cleaned up to build the Olympic Stadium
  • Stratford Town Centre rebuilt 2004
• Education:
  
  • 62% more children achieved A* to C grades in 2012 compated to 47% in 2009

Question 5

What failures were there?

Answer 5

• Cost:
  
  • London council taxpayers had to pay £1 billion altogether
  • Cost £4 billion just to redevelop Stratford City
• Environmental:
  
  • 500 trees removed
  • [Link to flooding etc.]
• Housing:
  
  • Over 450 houses demolished to make way for buildings
  • Olympic Village expensive to live in
• Jobs:
  
  • Most just related to the games - temporary employment