3.2 Urban trends and issues of urbanisation Flashcards
What is the cycle of urbanisation?
- Urbanisation - increase in proportion of people living in cities and towns
- Suburbanisation - urban areas spread outwards due to creation of suburban railway lines, government investment, provision of infrastructure and services - sewage, gas, electricity. Low interest rates encouraged borrowing and development, better road networks, better communications.
- Counter urbanisation - people leave urban areas to go to small rural settlements for quieter life
- Re-urbanisation - people returning to urban areas due to redevelopment, lower crime rates, better housing and living standards usually due to investment back into the areas.
How is counter urbanisation managed?
Concentrate development on brownfield sites than allowing urban sprawl. High density housing is built near to the town centre with attempts to provide new jobs to reduce commuting out of the area.
Local communities have been building affordable houses only for the locals to live in. In some rural areas counter urbanisation has been accompanied by the developing tourist industry.
What is urbanisation?
This refers to the increase in the proportion of a country’s population who live in towns or cities.
Mainly caused by natural increase and migration and is linked to economic development, industrialisation, globalisation and TNCs.
Urbanisation first occurred in richer countries in Europe and NA and some MICs.
Today, over 90% of the population live in towns and cities in these countries. Urbanisation started over 200 years ago when countries went through the industrial revolution and people left their primary sector jobs to migrate into urban areas and work in factories.
L/MICs have lower levels of urbanisation and industrialisation took much longer and there are global inequalities holding them back. Some of the fastest growing cities are in MICs, especially East Asia. There are currently over 400 millionaire cities all over the world due to fast urbanisation rates - only 2 before 1900.
Why does urbanisation occur in LICs?
Urbanisation occurred in LICs due to absorbing other countries into their own economy. Capitalists invest into countries with the best EofS, agglomeration, opportunities for linkage to give low cost high supply, increased investment on urban growth, higher wages in cities, better services in cities and the decline in primary goods also contributed.
What are the consequences of urbanisation?
Overcrowding, homelessness, abandoned children, squatter settlements - shanty towns, unemployment, poverty, informal economy, depress wages, children and women work in poor conditions, low taxes as can’t afford so no investment, pollution due to wastage and lack of removal systems.
Why do people move to squatter settlements?
They believe that living standards will improve as they all have some way of making money. In some areas favelas have evolved with basic services.
There are some high rise apartments, sit and services schemes to provide land near roads and places of work. Self help schemes also put in place where people given ownership of the land encouraging them to improve it.
What is suburbanisation?
Urban areas spread out from the central areas of a city to homes on the outer edge of the city. Usually involves engulfing of out skirting towns, turning them into suburbs. Was first facilitated by development of public transport and cars and railway lines allowing commuters. Development occurred alongside main roads and railway lines, causing outward urban sprawl - the expansion of poorly planned, low density development which spreads over lots of land, creating distances between cities and wasting land. Decentralisation is also a part of this as they convert political power from central areas to spread over multiple areas.
What has been developed to stop suburbanisation?
Green belts allow the development of green areas in urban zones- most of this turns into the rural-urban fringe which is the transition zone between urban and rural land uses.
It will have parts of agricultural land but other uses of urban area as there are large amounts of cheap land and open spaces. As car usage grew, the edge of urban areas became the favoured location for new offices, retail outlets and industry.
Rapid population growth and ageing populations have also factored into the rise of demand. The housing stock is getting old and needs renewal so people look to move out as it is much cheaper.
What are problems with suburbanisation?
Segregation and inequalities, inadequate facilities in the suburbs, high cost of social facilities, public transport costs are high, dependence on cars, commuting takes time and is costly, character of countryside lost.
Suburbanisation may be considered good as overcrowded city centres create economic division and inequality, high crime rates, racial tension and overcrowding.
What is counter-urbanisation?
Movement of people from large urban areas to small rural areas. This leads to commuting by car or rail. It is driven by the urge to improve living qualify by moving out of the urban areas. Modern advancements like technology, home working, transport mean that commuting costs may be reduced. This has caused further decline in the inner city which may need re-urbanisation and urban renewal.
What is urban renewal?
Keeping the best elements of previous areas but adapting them to new uses - regenerating areas such as London Docklands and Millennium village, building modern architecture in old and run-down areas.
What is reurbanisation?
Redevelopment and renewal and implementation of new infrastructure in areas previously in decline. Moving people and economic activities back into central areas to bring a balance of housing and employment opportunities into the inner city.
What is gentrification and why are areas gentrified?
Process of poor urban areas transforming back to urban hubs and nicer areas due to wealthier people migrating in, improving housing and businesses.
Areas are gentrified as low cost properties in the city can be easily renovated, close to public transport and facilities. The rent gap theory suggests that property has fallen below its true value and developers are attracted to renovate. High commute times increased demand in city - also the pioneer hipster image. Businesses are keen to improve living standards and so invest in the area, birth rates are falling, less people in the city, less need for big houses due to smaller families, cumulative causation causes nearby areas to also become gentrified.
What are the positives and negatives of gentrification?
Positives: Renovation of areas, little cost to state, affluent residents attracted back to centre, reverses out migration, revived declining communities and services, sellers and landlords get high returns, businesses commerce and retail attracted back into areas.
Negative: inflation, house prices rise, social division, existing communities resent and forced out, parking and congestion issues, pollution
What are world cities?
Cities important to the world either due to economic, political, or cultural importance, often defined by influence rather than size. This may include political hubs, important companies and offices, important history, markets and services - all despite their size. Tend to attract TNCs and FDI as there is much more development, power, profits and markets.
