2.1.4 A case study of a major city in the UK: Bristol

Question 1

What makes Bristol a major UK city? (4p)

Answer 1

• Largest city in the south-west of England
• Approx. population if 440,500
• The population is expected to reach 1/2 a million by 2029
• Bristol is one if the UK’s core cities

Question 2

Core city

Answer 2

A city that contributes a lot economically and has a large population

Question 3

Location of Bristol (2p)

Answer 3

• South-west of England
• Connected to London directly via the M4
• Connected to other cities in the South, Midlands and North via the M6, M5 and M4 west to Wales

Question 4

Importance of Bristol nationally (3p)

Answer 4

• 2 universities
• 2 cathedrals
• Has 2 main railways: Bristol temple meads and Bristol parkway

Question 5

Importance of Bristol internationally (2p)

Answer 5

• Imports around 700,000 cars a year from Japan, Germany and Korea
• Has an airport

Question 6

Positive impacts of migration on Bristol (3p)

Answer 6

• Migrants fill gaps in industry (jobs)
• Boosts the economy as more taxes are paid
• increased cultural diversity

Question 7

Negative impacts of migration in Bristol (3p)

Answer 7

• Pressure on housing, public transport and employment
• Challenges of integration within community
• Increase in population so more urban development therefore having negative environmental impacts

Question 8

How urban change has created opportunities (5p)

Answer 8

• social and economic: cultural mix, recreation and entertainment,
  employment, integrated transport systems
• environmental: urban greening

Question 9

Cultural mix (how urban change has created opportunities) (3p)

Answer 9

• Youthful population means there’s a range of clubs and bars
• Home to the Bristol Old Vic, the Colston Hall and the tobacco factory provides a wide range of entertainment
• Wide range of cuisines available to suit the multicultural population

Question 10

recreation and entertainment (how urban change has created opportunities) (2p)

Answer 10

• Bristol is home to two professional football clubs, City and Rovers, and a rugby union team.
• The city also serves as the hub for Gloucestershire County Cricket. These sports teams are continually upgrading their stadiums, aiming to offer diverse leisure, conference facilities, and accommodation options.

Question 11

Employment (how urban change has created opportunities) (4p)

Answer 11

• Historically, Bristol’s primary industries were centred around its role as a port. It facilitated the production of cigarettes and sherry from overseas - - However, the closure of the city centre port resulted in vacant warehouses which have since been repurposed into residential flats
• Significant growth has been witnessed in Bristol’s service-oriented and high-tech sectors
• The city is a hotspot for micro-electronic and silicon design businesses, boasting 50 firms

Question 12

Integrated transport system (how urban change has created opportunities) (3p)

Answer 12

• Bristol plans to develop an integrated transport system linking different forms of public transport within the city
• The aim is to get people to travel using public transport instead of cars; reducing congestion and air pollution
• Construction began in early 2015, and the network became operational in 2018

Question 13

Urban greening

Answer 13

Increasing the amount of green space in a city

Question 14

Urban greening (how urban change has created opportunities)(3p)

Answer 14

• Sites of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) to be raised to top conservation condition by 2026
• 27% of the city to be part of a wildlife network
• 30% of the city to be covered with trees

Question 15

Urban change

Answer 15

involves any change within the urban environment associated with growth or decline of an urban area

Question 16

Challenges of urban change (9p)

Answer 16

-social and economic: urban deprivation, inequalities in housing,
education, health and employment
- environmental: dereliction, building on
brownfield and greenfield sites, waste disposal
- the impact of urban sprawl on the rural–urban fringe, and the growth of
commuter settlements

Question 17

Urban deprivation (challenges of urban change) (2p)

Answer 17

• According to the 2021 Census, 31.8% of households are deprived in one dimension
• Deprived communities often have high population densities, congested roads, few parks and shops, and experience high levels of unemployment and crime

Question 18

Urban deprivation definition

Answer 18

A standard of living below that of the majority in a particular society that involves hardships and lack of access to resources

Question 19

Inequalities in housing (Challenges of urban change) (3p)

Answer 19

• The demand for housing in Bristol has seen house prices rise significantly between 2010 and 2023 from £160,000 in 2010 to £357,000
• Bristol has the highest rate of homelessness in the southwest of England. It was estimated that 1972 people were homeless in the city in 2021
• The high number of students studying at Bristol’s two universities has increased pressure on housing, especially for rental properties

Question 20

Inequalities in education (challenges of urban change) (4p)

Answer 20

• the proportion of students achieving level 1 and 2 qualifications is below the national average
• Students living in the most deprived areas of Bristol typically experience lower levels of attainment than more wealthy districts.
  -In 2022, the achievement of children living within the most deprived 10% of the population was amongst the lowest in Bristol.
• Whilst the performance was much better for children living in the 10% least deprived areas

Question 21

Health (challenges of urban change) (3p)

Answer 21

• Urban change has posed difficulties for the healthcare sector due to disparities in wealth throughout the city.
• Less affluent neighbourhoods record higher levels of poor health and lower life expectancy, coupled with an increased incidence of premature death. These regions also struggle with prevalent obesity and smoking rates.
• Conversely, more affluent wards enjoy better health conditions and life expectancy, with notably fewer instances of early mortality.

Question 22

Employment (challenges of urban change) (2p)

Answer 22

• In 2022, Bristol’s employment rate was 82.5%, the fifth highest of all UK cities
  -Areas with low educational attainment typically have higher levels of unemployment

Question 23

Dereliction (challenges of urban change)

Answer 23

• Bristol has witnessed a downturn in the industry linked to its harbour and railway hub roles. This has resulted in numerous warehouses and historical buildings falling into disrepair
• The areas that have become rundown have been mainly concentrated in the city centre

Question 24

Dereliction

Answer 24

Areas that are abandoned and become run down

Question 25

Building on brownfield and greenfield sites (challenge of urban change)(4p)

Answer 25

Brownfield disadvantages: -Expensive to clear away existing buildings - In urban areas, pollution levels are higher so lower quality of life Greenfield disadvantages: - Loss of countryside and habitats, reducing biodiversity - Increasing light and noise pollution

Question 26

Waste disposal (challenges of urban change)(2p)

Answer 26

- the city produces about 140,000 tonnes of garbage yearly, despite efforts to minimise waste - The population of Bristol is expanding at roughly 1 per cent annually, and dealing with household waste and debris due to lack of landfill

Question 27

Impact of urban sprawl on the rural-urban fringe (challenges of urban change)

Answer 27

- Local residents and environmentalists have expressed worries about the loss of rural landscapes and the effects on wildlife biodiversity and habitats - Increasing traffic congestion levels, noise, and air pollution are also areas of concern

Question 28

Bristol and Bath green belt

Answer 28

- Was set up to prevent urban sprawl on the rural-urban fringe and the merging of the 2 cities - Bristol only controls 5% of the land

Question 29

The growth of commuter settlements (challenges of urban change) (2p)

Answer 29

-Bristol sees more incoming commuters for work than those leaving for jobs elsewhere. While many commuters reside in the immediate rural-urban fringe, others cover considerable distances - This increases traffic congestion

Question 30

Commuter settlement

Answer 30

Areas where many residents travel to work in different locations