Changes In Central Urban Areas

Question 1

How has leisure and tourism changed central urban areas?

Answer 1

• Less disposable income is spent in high street shops
• Development of 24 hour services
• Increase of tourism
• Demand for city centre living has led to boom for central apartments

Question 2

Who benefits from recent changes in central urban areas of cities?

Answer 2

• Increased opportunities in skilled technology work
• Older people/families don’t benefit from 24 hour entertainment
• New job opportunities created by globalising economic development
• Older people less likely to be internet shoppers

Question 3

How has technology changed central urban areas?

Answer 3

• Internet shopping has decreased high street footfall
• Technology changed type of work that dominates central urban areas e.g. Financial
• Cars and faster trains mean easier access to city centres
• Increase of tertiary and quaternary industry leads to less pollution

Question 4

What is gentrification?

Answer 4

• Process by which change in social structure and housing market occurs in areas (usually inner city)
• Revival of an area that has been subject to environmental and socioeconomic decline

Question 5

What can gentrification be caused by?

Answer 5

• Individuals who invest in and improve property (e.g. Notting Hill)
• Government incentives and initiatives to revitalise areas (e.g. Subsidies for buying/renovating in an area)
• Wholesale replacement of low income housing with higher quality housing (e.g. Brixton ‘Loughborough Park’ demolished)

Question 6

Explain the process of gentrification

Answer 6

1. Urban pioneers - People move to rundown areas with redevelopment potential
2. Redevelop rundown areas - Prices go up, lower class pushed out
3. Richer people demand improved amenities - Business change to cater for rich, forcing out remaining lower income population

Question 7

Why are central areas experiencing re-urbanistation?

Answer 7

• People want to live closer to work
• Decrease in time and cost efficiency of cars from suburbs
• Initiatives to revitalise and rebrand inner cities and CBDs

Question 8

How does gentrification affect social, demographic and cultural characteristics of an area?

Answer 8

• Increase of middle income families = decline of ethnic minorities
• Average household size decreases (Low income families replaced by young professionals)
• Increase in proportion of people working in tertiary/quaternary sector
• Increased rent and house prices
• Land use altered (Low income housing/industry to high end housing/retail/restaurants)

Question 9

Give 3 positives of gentrification

Answer 9

• Improves image of a place, possibly increasing local business
• Often leads to people owning their homes = Stability
• Less vacant buildings due to high demand

Question 10

Give 3 negatives of gentrification

Answer 10

• Forces out original residents
• Cultural loss
• Increase in community division