Perceprion Of Urban Areas EQ2 Flashcards
(9 cards)
What factors influence whether someone finds the inner city or suburbs more desirable?
-Stage in the life cycle: Young adults may prioritise access to nightlife and work; families need space and safety; older adults may value peace and familiarity.
-Type of involvement: A person working in the CBD may value convenience; someone only visiting may focus on aesthetic or safety.
-Economic position: Those with lower incomes are more likely to favour inner city locations due to affordability.
-Cultural background and ethnicity: Certain ethnic groups may prefer areas with established communities, affecting preferences for inner city enclaves or more integrated suburbs.
-Urban structure and services: Public transport, housing types, schools, healthcare, green spaces all shape how desirable an area is to different groups
Why might young adults (e.g. students or early-career workers) prefer inner city areas?
-Affordability and availability: Inner cities offer cheaper flats or HMOs (houses of multiple occupancy) that suit single people or those in shared accommodation.
-Access to employment: Many young adults work in city-based service industries, retail, or offices. Proximity saves commuting time and costs.
-Lifestyle and social life: City centres offer clubs, bars, events, and public transport late at night. This suits younger residents’ schedules and interests
-Public transport links: Young adults are less likely to own cars, so rely on Metro/bus routes which are stronger in the CBD.
-Downsides? Noise, pollution, and crime rates may be higher, but these tend to matter less to those at this stage in life. They prioritise convenience and vibrancy over tranquillity and space
Why might young families with children prefer suburban or inner suburban areas?
-Larger housing: Suburbs tend to offer more space (semi-detached or detached homes), gardens, and safer play areas for children.
-Access to schools: Many families move based on school catchment areas. Suburbs often have better-performing schools.
-Health and safety: Lower crime rates and traffic make the suburbs feel safer for raising children.
-Community life: Families benefit from more stable populations, neighbours with similar needs, and access to family services (e.g. GPs, libraries).
-Transport trade-off: Parents may have to drive more or spend longer commuting, but value outweighs inconvenience.
-Inner suburbs often provide a balance: not too far from the city but more residential and calm than the inner city
Why might older adults or empty-nesters prefer outer suburbs or rural fringe areas?
-Lifestyle change: After retirement or children leaving home, many older adults prioritise peace, green space, and slower pace.
-Quality of life: Suburban and rural areas offer cleaner air, quiet streets, and gardens, which support physical and mental wellbeing.
-Affordability is less of a concern: Many own their homes outright and aren’t concerned about commuting distance
-Low crime risk: Outer suburbs feel secure and have high levels of home ownership, which contributes to social stability.
-Healthcare access can be better in suburbs than inner city areas, especially in well-funded localities.
-Downsides? Isolation can be a risk, especially if public transport is limited. Widowed or elderly residents may feel cut off if community networks are weak
What does the Life Cycle / Family Life Cycle model explain about urban living preferences?
-Young single adults (18–30): Want cheap, central housing with access to jobs and nightlife. Often rent inner-city flats
-Couples / young families (30–45): Move to suburbs for space, schooling, and safety. Tend to buy starter homes or semi-detached properties.
-Established families (45–60): Prefer quiet, leafy neighbourhoods in outer suburbs with good transport and services
-Elderly households (60+): May downsize or remain in suburbs. Desire low-maintenance homes and healthcare access
What is ‘othering’ and how does it shape perceptions of urban areas?
-‘Othering’ is when people make negative assumptions about an area or its residents, treating them as outsiders or inferior.
-For example, some may label deprived areas as ‘chavvy’ or unsafe without real experience.
-This leads to stigma and reinforces ethnic or class segregation.
-As a result, ‘othered’ groups often form enclaves for mutual support, which can lead to further division in urban spaces
What factors cause perceptions of urban areas to change over time?
-Regeneration or gentrification (e.g. improving services or rising house prices)
-Deindustrialisation or decline (loss of jobs, increasing poverty)
-Personal lived experience (living or working there may change views)
-Demographic change (younger population moving in, migrants, students)
-Globalisation and politics (changing funding, immigration, development)
What are crime rates like in inner city areas like Elswick?
-It experiences more violent crime, antisocial behaviour, burglary, and drug-related offences.
-These patterns are linked to higher deprivation levels, lower income, high population density, and social housing.
-Elswick has a younger, more transient population, which can reduce social cohesion and community surveillance.
-The area has also faced historical underinvestment and lower police visibility, contributing to perceptions of danger
What are crime rates like in the park lands (rural- urban fringe)?
-Crime rates are among the lowest in Newcastle.
-Offences here are often limited to petty crime like vehicle theft or occasional vandalism.
-The area is wealthier, with higher levels of home ownership, a more stable population, and strong community ties
-Residents tend to be older and more affluent, and neighbourhoods benefit from greater security and private investment (e.g. CCTV, Neighbourhood Watch schemes).
