2.3. Urban processes

Question 1

What is a green belt?

Answer 1

areas of open space and low density land use around towns where further development was strictly controlled

Question 1

What is suburbanisation?

Answer 1

the movement of people from living in the inner parts of a city to living on the outer edges

Question 2

What are some of the causes of suburbanisation?

Answer 2

• mid to late 20th century = increased ownership of private cars, railway lines and main roads -> increased commuters
• 1930s = few planning controls so urban growth took place along main roads
• 1940s- growth became a concern, leading to the creation of green belts
  -1950s and 60s = large scale construction of council housing on suburban fringe
• 1970s = increase in private housing estates on suburban fringe as house ownership increased
• building on suburban fringe = more space
• out of town supermarkets built on edge of suburbs
• new housing estates built

Question 3

What are the impacts of suburbanisation?

Answer 3

• increased social segregation
• diversion of funding away from inner city areas to suburbs to pay for more infrastructure and services

Question 4

What is counter-urbanisation

Answer 4

The migration of people from major urban areas to smaller urban settlements and rural areas

Question 5

What are some of the causes of counter-urbanisation?

Answer 5

• people want to escape from air pollution, dirt and crime of urban area
• aspire to the “rural idyll”
• car ownership and greater affluence allows commuters
• many employers have moved out of city
• improvements of technology allowed more freedom of location
• rising demand for second homes and earlier retirement

Question 6

What are some of the impacts of counter-urbanisation?

Answer 6

• hasn’t led to suburban growth in rural areas beyond main city
• effects layout of rural settlements
• modern houses built on edges of small settlements and small industrial units on main roads
• former open areas built on, old properties and some agricultural buildings converted and modernised
• tension between newcomers and locals
• bus services to local communities disappeared
• schools, post offices, churches closed
• newcomers have wealth and mobility to continue using urban services some distance away
• increased use of commuter railways
• increased value of houses
• outmigration of young village-born adults
• In-migration of young families

Question 7

What is urban resurgence?

Answer 7

• refers to the result of regeneration, both economic and structural of an urban area which has suffered a period of decline
• movement of upwardly mobile people back to the city
• attracted by 24 hour lifestyles

Question 8

What are some of the causes of urban resurgence?

Answer 8

• redevelopment schemes made city living more attractive
• often driven by government-led regeneration schemes
• redevelopment by private companies led to wholesale transformation of parts of UK cities
• people choose to live closer to work, entertainment and leisure facilities
• globalisation and technological change
• major sporting events

Question 9

What are some of the effects of urban resurgence?

Answer 9

• pushing out orignal residents of the area
• becomes more expensive to live there
• improvement in the environment
• using brownfield sites
• positive multiplier effect
• greater pressure on urban infrastructure