We have spent time preparing this book to help you prepare ...

We have spent time preparing this book to help you prepare for your

summer exams.

You can use this book in a number of ways:

1) To get information about your exams

2) To get hints on how to revise and do well in exams

3) To remind you of important facts

4) To see examples of the kinds of questions you could be asked

5) To test yourself, by using the questions at the start of the

sections.

BUT DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR CLASSBOOKS; THEY WILL

HAVE EVEN MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION IN, USE BOTH.

You will find the book split into 3 sections:

1) General Information

2) Paper/unit 1 Challenges and Interactions in Geography Themes

1 and 2, Challenges of living in a Built in Environment and

Physical Processes and Relationships Between People and

Environments.

3) Paper/unit 2 Development and Problem Solving Geography

including Theme 3, Uneven Development and Sustainable

Environments and then the decision making exercise based on

all three themes.

We wish you all the best

Enjoy yourself!

Miss Benson and Mrs Unsworth

IN THE EXAM ROOM

GOLDEN RULES

Read each question at least TWICE.

Look at the marks available for each part.

Answer all the questions and then choose which of the case study questions

you want to answer on each of the two units.

Highlight the key words in the question.

Spend the same amount of time on each question on Paper 1, 30 minutes

maximum on each theme. Then on Paper 2, spend 30 minutes on the first

section and the remaining 1 hour 30 minutes the decision making exercise.

Case Study Question- Be specific, give facts, figures and real place names.

State the obvious.

Running out of time? Jot down notes, key words, bullet points.

OBEY THE TRIGGER TERMS. Describe, explain, contrast etc

PAPER / UNIT 1- TIMINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS

The first exam is the paper with two of the case studies on –

Challenges of Living in a Built Environment and Physical Processes

and Relationships between People and Environments.

PAPER / UNIT ONE/ CASE STUDY PAPER – FOUNDATION AND HIGHER

You have 1 hour. You answer all the questions from each section ….so all of

section A and all of section B EXCEPT for the case study where you have a

choice of 2 questions and you must pick one of the two from the two choices in

section A and the same for section B. This means that you should spend ½ hour

on each question – Remember to leave 10-12 minutes for the casestudy

question. Check your spelling, punctuation and grammar on the casestudy.

If you have time – this is where the marks are awarded.

PAPER / UNIT 2

TIMINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS

The second exam is half case study paper and the decision

making paper with no choice of questions except for the choice

of case study at the end of the first section.

FOUNDATION AND HIGHER PAPER

UNIT/PAPER TWO/ HALF CASE STUDY PAPER AND HALF DECISION

MAKING EXERCISE.

You have 2 hours. The paper is split into two sections. On the first section it is

identical to papers 1 and 2 in that you have half an hour to answer all the

questions on Uneven Development and Sustainable Environments before being

given a choice of two case study questions and you should answer only one of

these. This section of the exam paper will last half an hour. You will then be

given a short break before moving on to the decision making exercise. You

answer every question on this section of the paper!!! There is no choice of

questions on this section and you will have 1 hour 30 minutes to answer this

question. Make sure you leave approximately ½ an hour to write your final

decision/report at the end of this paper.

TOP TIPS ON HOW TO REVISE THAT REALLY WORK!

Revise Blind!

Read the notes, then close the book and write out the facts in note form, in a check list

or a spider diagram.

Check your answers, and then DO IT AGAIN…AND AGAIN……….AND AGAIN………………..

Amuse Yourself!

Ways to remember facts.

Mnemonics.

Raps and Rhymes.

Silly Images.

Star Diagrams.

Become a Flasher!

Produce your own flash cards on A4 or A5.

USE THEM!!!!

Cover All Topics!

Early on in your revision read through all your notes and make sure you don’t keep going

over the same ground.

Test Yourself!

Try past paper questions once you have revised. Get model answers.

Many of the Power points and previous past papers can be found on Moodle.

HOW DO I

REVISE?

Theme 1

CHALLENGES OF

LIVING IN A BUILT

ENVIRONMENT

RURAL CHANGE AND

PLANNING ISSUES

What landforms

are produced?

CASE STUDY 6

Rivington Country Park

A case study at a local scale related to

the opportunities for leisure use of a

rural environment and ways in which

management attempts to balance change

and sustainability.

CASE STUDY 1

Housing in Wigan

A case study of housing in an urban area:

tenure, access, opportunities, constraints,

patterns.

VARIATION IN

QUALITY OF LIFE

AND ACCESS TO

HOUSING

What is Housing

Tenure?

What affects access

to housing?

How and why are rural

areas changing?

What issues are

created by rural

change?

Why urban dwellers

seek increased access

to rural areas? What

conflicts arise?

How can rural areas under

pressure from visitors be

managed to ensure a sustainable

future? How and why

do patterns in

housing

occur?

How do quality of life

and standards of living

vary in urban areas?

ACCESS TO

SERVICES AND

CHANGING

SERVICE PROVISION

How are

services

distributed

in urban

areas?

What

changes

are taking

place in

service

provision?

How might

changes

affect

different

groups of

people?

How and why does

access in urban and

rural areas vary

between different

groups of people?

URBANISATION

CASE STUDY 3

Leisure in Wigan A case study of

another service and

the factors which

affect access to that

service for different

groups of people.

Why are

people

migrating

to urban

areas?

Where are

these

people

migrating

to in urban

areas?

What are the impacts

on the areas of origin

and destination? Who

gains? Who loses?

CASE STUDY 4

Bangalore/Tamil Nadu, India

A case study of rural to urban migration: patterns, reasons,

impacts.

PLANNING

ISSUES IN

BUILT

ENVIRONMENTS

Who is involved in

planning decisions in

residential areas?

How and why do

conflicts occur?

How might sustainable

residential areas be

planned?

CASE STUDY 5

ONE

BRIGHTON.

A case study of

one planning

issue. Consider

the plans,

stakeholder and

reasons for

conflicts.

What issues arise

from inequalities

in housing?

Why

are

changes

taking

place?

CASE STUDY 2

Shopping in

Wigan A case study of

the distribution

and variation of

retail service

provision and the

ways in which such

provision is changing within one

large area.

GLOSSARY

Accessibility How easy a place is to get to.

Amenities Electricity, running water and other necessary provisions

Brownfield site An area of land that has previously been built on and is ready for redevelopment.

Catchment An area surrounding an amenity or facility that benefits or is influenced by it.

Central Business District The middle of urban areas containing shops and offices (CBD)

Commercial Business areas and shopping centres

Counter-urbanisation The movement of people back to the countryside from urban areas

Densely populated A crowded area

Diversification When land uses change in order to become more profitable

Informal housing Accommodation that is built by people to live in that is not properly constructed

or is found on land that does not belong to them

Formal housing Professionally built residences that meet building requirements

Greenbelt An area of land around a city where the development of housing and industry is

severely restricted and the countryside is protected for farming and recreation.

Greenfield site An area of land that has not previously been built upon.

Housing Residential buildings for people to live in

Low cost housing Government or council scheme of cheap housing usually for people living in shanty

towns

Industrial Includes factories and business parks

Inner city The zone around the C.B.D

Land use What the land is used for – could be urban or rural, retail, residential.

Land use model A simple diagram showing patterns of land use

Leisure Activities and facilities that people use in their free time

Migration The movement of people from one place to another

Pull factors Attract people in to an area

Push factors Encourage or force people to leave an area

Quality of Life How comfortable or good life is for people

Residential An area where people live

Retail Shopping facilities

Rural Countryside

Self-help schemes Providing squatters or slum dwellers with cheap materials to improve their homes

Services Include water, sewage and electricity

Shanty town / slums Areas of poor housing on the edge of urban areas in L.E.D.C’s

Socio-economic group A way of dividing the population into groups according to their job and / or their

wealth

Sparsely populated An area with few people

Stakeholder A person who is influenced by change or decisions made by others

Standard of living How well-off a person or country is.

Sustainable Communities The design of accommodation and facilities to support a community that has as

little impact on the environment as possible and uses renewable resources in its

construction

Suburbanisation When villages increase in size and take on the characteristics of a more urban

area

Tenure The methods people use in order to obtain housing e.g. owner occupied, rented

etc.

Urban A built up area like a town or city

Urbanisation An increase in the percentage of people living in urban areas

HOW TO USE THE MAIN CASESTUDIES FOR THIS SECTION?

AN EXAMPLE OF HOW HOUSING DIFFERS IN AN AREA = USE WIGAN

DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSING ZONES

CHANGES TO THE TYPE OF HOUSING AVAILABLE = USE WIGAN AND

HOW HOUSING HAS CHANGED OVER TIME

HOW CHANGES IN SERVICES IN AN AREA AFFECTS PEOPLES’ QUALITY

OF LIFE= ACCESS TO RETAIL OR LEISURE SERVICES IN WIGAN.

DISTRIBUTION OF A SERVICE IN AN AREA = SHOPPING TYPES AS YOU

MOVE OUT OF WIGAN’S CBD TOWARDS THE SUBURBS INCLUDING THE

DISTRIBUTION OF SHOPPING IN THE CBD OR USE LEISURE IF YOU

PREFER IF IT DOESN’T SPECIFY RETAIL

AN AREA IN AN LEDC EXPERIENCING URBANISATION = USE

BANGALORE

AN AREA IN AN LEDC EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF POPULATION =

TAMIL NADU

AN AREA IN AN LEDC EXPERIENCING RURAL TO URBAN MIGRATION =

THE INDIA CASE STUDY TAMIL NADU TO BANGALORE

AN EXAMPLE OF A PLANNING ISSUE = ONE BRIGHTON

AN EXAMPLE OF LEISURE USE CAUSING ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICT =

RIVINGTON COUNTRY PARK AND GO APE COURSE

AN EXAMPLE OF HOW A RURAL ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN MANAGED

SUSTAINABLY = USE RIVINGTON BUT YOU COULD ALSO USE THE

NORFOLK BROADS FROM THEME 3 IF YOU WANT.

AN EXAMPLE OF A SUSTAINABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT = ONE

BRIGHTON

(1) What Affects Where People Live?

WHERE ARE THE MAIN CITIES OF THE WORLD?

Changing pattern- Northern to Southern hemisphere

In the continents of Africa, South America and Asia

Now chiefly in L.E.D.C’s

On the coast

HOW IS THE WORLD’S POPULATION DISTRIBUTED?

POPULATION DISTRIBUTION describes how people are spread out in an area,

country or the World.

Unevenly spread across the World

Majority living on one third of the World’s land surface

Densest areas include Western Europe, India and Japan

Sparsest areas include Sahara, Amazon and Alaska

WHAT EXPLAINS THESE PATTERNS?

Relief – too cold and wet in mountains, thin soils

Climate – drought or floods limit settlement or temperature extremes

Resources – raw materials lead to industrialisation and population explosion

Historical – oldest areas of settlement have bigger population

Political e.g. family planning

(3) What Are The Different Areas of a City?

WHAT DO URBAN LAND USE MODELS SAY ABOUT LAND USE IN MEDCS?

These models identify and explain patterns of land use in towns and cities and

are useful in describing differences. Areas of particular importance are the

C.B.D, the inner city and suburban areas – including the inner and outer suburbs.

HOW IS URBAN LAND USE DIFFERENT IN AN LEDC?

As the models show the pattern of residential land use is reversed in L.E.D.C.’s

where the poorest housing is on the edge of town and the most expensive in the centre.

(4) What differences are there in the provision of services and

housing within an urban area?

CASE STUDIES 1-3; WIGAN, THE U.K.

LAND VALUES

As a rule the price of land rises in the town centre, greater accessibility and lesser

availability causes this. These high prices create high density housing areas of terraces and

later flats. Towards the edge of town cheaper land prices and greater room led to low

density housing types like semi- and detached houses. Access to services in these two

areas is very different, controlled by both their location and the type of residents.

Residents living in the inner ring areas around the town centre have excellent access to all

the services and amenities there, including large shops, schools, hospitals and

entertainment.

Those nearer the edge of town need to travel further distances for these main services,

although the growth of new retail parks at town boundaries is changing this pattern.

Residents of outer ring areas are also more likely to be higher wage earners and more likely

to own a car. This increased mobility helps their access to services. Recreational amenities

that need a lot of space are also found on the edge of town (land available and cheap) e.g.

golf courses and country parks.

KEY

A= CBD

B= INNER CITY

C= INNER SUBURBS

D= OUTER SUBURBS

1= Scholes –

2= Terraced housing,

3= Semi-detached

houses,

4= Hospital

5= Railway station

6= Schools

7= Country park

8 = Golf course

8

B

C

D

1 2

3 4

5

6

7

A KEY

A = CBD: Town Centre: large

shops, baths, library, pubs

B = Inner city: terraced houses,

factories, hospital, a few corner

shops, new supermarket

C = Inner Suburbs: semi-

detached, parades of shops

D = Outer Suburbs: detached

houses, secondary shopping

centres

How do Quality of Life and Standard of Living Vary?

Quality of life is a measure of the happiness or contentment that we feel. This

can be influenced by a number of things which include; Health, environment and

access to facilities.

Standard of living is a measure of the relative wealth of individuals or families.

It can be measured using household income figures. A person's level of

qualifications or occupation can be an indicator of income. In regions where

unemployment figures are high or jobs are part time or low paid the number of

households living in poverty can by high.

Socio-economic Groups Geographers and other people that study society often break the population down into

different groups according to their job or level of wealth. Some examples of these

groups are found in the table below but sometimes different criteria are used such as

age, gender or reliance on benefits.

Social

Grade

Social Status Occupation

A upper middle class higher managerial, administrative or professional

B middle class intermediate managerial, administrative or professional

C1 lower middle class supervisory or clerical, junior managerial, administrative or

professional

C2 skilled working

class

skilled manual workers

D working class semi and unskilled manual workers

E those at lowest

level of

subsistence

state pensioners or widows (no other earner), casual or lowest

grade workers

Features of the urban environment that may

affect quality of life

How it might affect a person’s quality of life?

Living next to a very busy road He/she might feel anxious about accidents,

especially if they have young children

Living under the flight path of an airport The noise could be annoying and may keep them

awake

Living next to empty buildings that have been

burnt or vandalised

He/she might be worried about crime. The might

even be too afraid to go out of their own house at

night

Access to Housing

Housing tenure

Most people in the UK live in a home that they either

own outright, rent from someone else or one that they

will eventually purchase with the help of a mortgage.

The financial and legal relationships of a householder

are described as housing tenure.

Types of housing tenure:

1. Owner occupation

In order to access this part of the housing market you need a large lump sum of money

(perhaps an inheritance) to buy your house outright. Alternatively you need a regular

wage so that you can convince the mortgage lender you will be able to make the regular

repayments on your mortgage. If you fail to keep up with the repayments you can lose

your home. This is known as repossession. There are approximately 14.7 million owner

occupied households in the UK.

2. Renting from a private landlord

Renting from a private landlord suits a wide range of people because this sector of the

housing market contains a very wide range of properties from luxury penthouses to tiny

bedsits. In many cases the landlord makes an agreement to let the property for a short

period of time (usually 6-12 months). This type of housing tenure suits people who are

expecting to move again soon, like a student or a young professional seeking a new job,

but is less desirable for families wishing to settle down. Around 2.7 million households

are rented from a private landlord.

3. Renting from a social landlord

This type of housing tenure can be split into two separate sections. Here people will

rent from social landlords. These are not-for-profit organisations such as a housing

association or the local authority (council). Properties that are owned by the local

authorities (council) are allocated to people depending upon their housing need. People

waiting for social housing have relatively little choice about where they live as this

decision is made by the housing officer. Around 3.8 million households rent their home

from a social landlord.

Factors affecting access to housing

Tenure: Not having a lot of money or being in an area dominated by one type of housing

such as students. may affect if you can buy your home or need to rent.

House prices: In some areas the house prices are very high

and some areas up to ten times the average wage of the

UK. This can mean that people are unable to buy houses in

their area of choice.

Age: this can be linked to the size of the house as old

people tend to need houses that are smaller and will not buy houses in areas where

there are lots of homes designed for families. Elderly people may not buy houses close

to city centres due to noise or near student areas.

Gender: There may be areas of a city where women feel unsafe.

Socio-economic status: If you are unemployed or on a low wage you may not be able to

access expensive housing or renting from private landlords and as result may have no

option but to rent from social landlords. This will then mean that you have little say in

where you then live.

Who rents from private landlords?

Students who are living away at university and will be moving on at the end of a

course

People who move frequently because of their career

Young single adults who aren’t ready to settle down

People who lost a family home through a divorce or separation

Migrants to this country

Households who cannot buy because they do not have savings to pay for a

deposit

Households who do not have enough points to access social housing

Patterns of housing

Very often the constraints that people have on their incomes and lives will mean they

have to live in certain areas of a settlement. This means that people who have similar

constraints live together. You will often find different ethnic minorities will live in

certain parts of settlements. This is very often due to incomes but also other cultural

factors. Also different groups of people have different housing needs. For example, a

single person needs a one room apartment whereas a family with teenage children need

a home with three or more bedrooms. Some people have special housing needs, for

example a wheelchair user will need ground floor accommodation.

(4)

What differences are there in the provision of housing within an

urban area?

CASE STUDY 1: HOUSING IN WIGAN, THE U.K.

Why does the provision of housing differ across the zones of Wigan?

A case study of housing in an urban area; tenure, access, opportunities,

constraints, patterns.

Remember that this case study focuses on the types of housing in Wigan, where it is

found and who lives in it.

CBD – Very little housing in CBD due to high land values.

Type of housing - in the CBD it is limited to two main sectors, small flats above retail

units and high quality apartments.

Tenure - These are usually privately owned or rented from a private landlord

Groups – The flats above retail units are usually occupied by young people who are

students or are on low income or possibly the owner of the business below. The higher

class apartments are usually occupied by young professionals.

Advantages –

Cheap rents in the flats and exclusive accommodation in the apartments.

Close to the centre of town and all the amenities and entertainment.

Good access to public transport

Disadvantages –

Higher crime rates and incidences of anti-social behaviour in the CBD

Higher rates of pollution and traffic congestion

Expensive rent/mortgage on the higher class apartments

INNER CITY

Mainly terraced housing in most of this zone and high rise flats and maisonettes can be

found in Scholes. The terraces are a legacy from Wigan’s industrial past when these

houses marked what was then the outskirts of the town. They are often brick built

with slate roofs and closely packed together on a grid iron road system. This was also

the pattern in Scholes until the 1960’s when the terraces were replaced by the flats to

create high density housing surrounded by open space close to the town centre.

Type of housing

Housing is a mixture of terraced and high rise flats.

Tenure - These are usually privately owned or rented from a private landlord but in

Wigan there are some sections of council owned property within the terraces around

Swinley and the high rise flats in Scholes (see map)

Groups – The flats are largely occupied by individuals and families on low incomes or

government benefits. The terraces are the same but many of the privately owned ones

are bought by first time buyers and young couples.

Advantages –

• Cheap rents in the houses and flats and affordable mortgages.

• Still within walking distance of the centre of town and all the amenities and

entertainment.

• Good access to public transport

• The terraces have their own outside space/yard

Disadvantages –

• Higher crime rates and more anti-social behaviour than the suburbs

• Higher rates of pollution and traffic congestion

• Rarely have off road parking

• Flats/maisonettes do not have outside space and share communal hallways.

INNER SUBURBS – mainly semi-detached housing, largely built in the inter war period

(1920’s and 1930’s) and the post war period (1940’s and 1950’s). This was in response

to an increasing number of workers not wishing to live in the busy, polluted and in some

cases bombed out inner cities. These houses had more land so had front and back

gardens as well as driveways. This was possible due to the cheaper land prices in this

zone.

Type of housing – housing is predominantly semi-detached with some terraces and

smaller detached houses.

Tenure - These are usually privately owned or council owned properties such as those

in Worsley Hall and Whelley. (see map)

Groups – The semi-detached houses are usually occupied by families with reliable well-

paid jobs. The council properties are also occupied by families but often with a low

income or reliance on benefits.

Advantages –

• Cheap rents in the council houses.

• Quieter, less congested and less polluted than the CBD and Inner City.

• Usually have their own gardens and driveway, many have a garage

• Lower crime rates

• Nearer to parks and other leisure facilities in the suburbs

Disadvantages –

• Not within walking distance of amenities and entertainment in the

centre. Rely on taxis and public transport.

• Have to commute to work and own your own car.

• Mortgages on larger properties are more expensive

• Larger properties require more investment and upkeep.

OUTER SUBURBS – mainly detached houses built after the 1950’s but also containing

some individually built properties from before this time that had developed on the

roads into the town centre. These were built as the inner suburbs became full and as

people became more affluent they could afford larger houses and they wanted garages

because most families now had cars.

Type of housing – housing is predominantly detached with some large semi-detached

properties.

Tenure - These are almost all privately owned apart from a few areas of newly

developed council properties eg. Goose Green and Worsley Mesnes (see map)

Groups – The detached houses are usually occupied by families with reliable high

income jobs. The council properties are also occupied by families but often with a low

income or reliance on benefits.

Advantages –

• Large, spacious housing.

• Quieter, less congested and less polluted than the CBD and Inner City.

• Surrounded by their own gardens and driveway, many have double garages

• Lower crime rates

• Nearer to parks and other leisure facilities in the suburbs

Disadvantages –

• Not within walking distance of amenities and entertainment in the

centre. Rely on taxis and public transport.

• Have to commute to work and own your own car.

• Mortgages on larger properties are more expensive

• Larger private properties require more investment and upkeep.

GROUPS TEENAGERS ELDERLY FAMILIES WITH

YOUNG

CHILDREN

PEOPLE ON LOW

INCOMES

YOUNG

PROFESSIONALS

BEST ZONE

TO LIVE IN

Inner City,

close to

amenities,

good for

public

transport and

entertainment

Inner suburbs,

quieter, less

crime but not too

far out in the

suburbs to make

public transport

difficult

Outer suburbs,

houses are large

enough for all the

family, gardens

for children to

play in. Low crime

rate and quiet.

Inner City, housing

can be obtained

for cheap rents

either from the

council or private

landlords. Close to

amenities if they

have no car

CBD, high quality

apartment close to

work and

amenities. Good

access to

entertainment and

transport

WORST

ZONE TO

LIVE IN

Outer

suburbs, too

distant from

entertainment

and public

transport

CBD, too noisy

and congested.

Crime rates high

and housing

inappropriate if

they have

mobility issues

CBD, too noisy and

congested. Crime

rates high. Lack of

off road parking

and nowhere for

children to play.

Outer Suburbs,

houses too

expensive and not

available for rent.

Too hard to access

public transport

Outer suburbs, too

distant from work

and houses too

large and

expensive for

young people to

buy on their own.

What impact does this difference have on different groups of people?

CBD Living in the CBD is good for young professionals who have jobs in town or

young people who wish to be close to the town centre for entertainment. It is

also good for people who own businesses in the town centre who may wish to be

near their place of work. This zone is not particularly good for families or

people who need a quiet and unpolluted environment such as the elderly

INNER CITY This zone in Wigan is good for elderly people, people on low

income and young people buying their first home. Property is generally cheaper

so more affordable. Young people will enjoy being close to the entertainment in

the town centre, older people and people on low income will appreciate being

close to the amenities in the town centre without having to pay too much to

access them

INNER SUBURBS This zone in Wigan is ideal for young families and older

people that do not need the convenience of being close to town, possibly because

they own a car. Places to park and gardens in which children can play are ideal

for families and car owners. This zone is not suitable for people of low income

because the properties are usually more expensive

OUTER SUBURBS This zone is only really suitable for people with decent

wages who wish to be away from the congestion of the town centre. It is

therefore ideal for families or older people with their own transport and plenty

money. It is too expensive for most young people and people on low income in

this zone

RETAIL SERVICES - YOU NEED TO KNOW THESE TERMS:

1. There are two types of consumer goods (things people buy):

High order goods – these are goods that are only bought occasionally and are usually

more expensive, e.g. clothes, furniture and cars. They’re also called comparison

goods.

Low order goods – these are goods that are bought frequently and are usually quite

cheap, e.g. milk, bread and newspapers. They’re also called convenience goods

2. The threshold population – the minimum population needed to support a shop. Shops

that sell high order goods have a high threshold population.

3. The sphere of influence – the area that people come from to visit a shop or an area.

Shops that sell high order goods have a large sphere of influence because people will

travel a long way occasionally to buy expensive items. People won’t travel a long way

to buy things they need regularly, so shops that sell low order goods will have a small

sphere of influence. The distance people will travel for a particular good or service

is called its range.

You need to know the characteristics of retail services in urban and rural areas:

High end designer shops

e.g. Selfridges

Department stores and

national chains

Specialist/convenience

goods services for local

people

Post Office and general store

CITIES

TOWNS

VILLAGES

HAMLETS

High end designer shops are found in cities because they can afford the higher land

values. There is a higher footfall in the cities because they draw more people from the

catchment area. High end shops need a higher footfall of people because their goods

are expensive and more people mean they are likely to attract customers.

Department stores and national chains locate in towns as their goods attract a wider

range of people, they can afford to be in an area with a slightly lower footfall as they

will still attract a large number of customers.

Convenience and specialist shops locate in villages as they can’t afford land in other

places but they don’t need to because people are prepared to travel the distance to

pick up more specific items.

There is usually a post office and general store located in hamlets because there are so

few people that not much profit can be made but the essentials still need to be

provided.

LAND VALUES

High

Cost of land

Low CBD Inner Inner Outer Rural land without City Suburbs Suburbs planning permission

CBD – Small area, high demand, best access from a large catchment, good services e.g.

stores, chain of specialist shops – River Island, Game etc.

Inner City – Still close to services in the CBD but slightly more available land. Access

is still good but not as good as the CBD e.g. charity shops, newsagents, independent

specialist shops

Inner suburbs – lots more available land and less demand as fewer customers are in

the area and there is poorer access e.g. very specialist items that people will travel to

buy or convenience goods for people living in this zone – florist, hairdresser, off-

licence, newsagents

Outer suburbs – lots of land so there is no shortage. There is poor access and a lack

of facilities, making land cheap e.g. corner shops selling convenience goods

INCREASING

Different shopping areas have different characteristics - You need to know the

characteristics of retail services in urban and rural areas:

Access to services

It’s not just the house or housing area we live in that affects our lives. Our quality of

life is also influenced b the services we have access to. One of the groups of services

we use most days of every week are retail services.

How access to services differ and how it affects people

Historically there has been a definite pattern to shopping services in built-up areas.

This has developed and changed over time as our urban areas have also grown and

changed. The old pattern of terraced houses that grew in the inner city areas has been

broken down and, as these have been replaced, many of the corner shops have

disappeared. On the other hand, increased travel opportunities brought about by

improved public transport services, and increased car ownership, have encouraged the

growth of suburban supermarkets and huge out-of-town shopping centre.

Urb

an

SHOPPING

AREA

LOCATION GOODS SOLD THRESHOLD

POPULATION

SPHERE OF

INFLUENCE

City Centre CBD High order e.g.

clothes and

jewellery.

High – because they

sell high order goods

and the rent is

expensive.

Large – they

attract people

from a wide area.

Out of

town

shopping

centre

Rural-urban

fringe

High order, e.g.

clothes and

hardware.

Medium – they sell

high order goods but

the cost of rent is

lower.

Large – they

attract people

from a wide area.

Shopping

parades

(short

rows of

shops)

Suburbs High and low order,

e.g. newspapers and

clothes.

Medium – they sell a

mixture of goods and

the cost of rent is

lower than in the city

centre.

Medium – they

attract people

from the nearby

area.

Corner

shops

Inner city Low order, e.g.

newspapers and

bread.

Low – because they

sell goods that are

bought often and rent

is cheap.

Small – they only

attract local

customers.

Rur

al

Village

shops

Villages Low order, e.g.

newspapers and

bread.

Low – because they

sell goods that are

bought often and rent

is cheap.

Small – they only

attract local

customers.

The size of a settlement will also affect what shops can locate there – the bigger a settlement is,

the greater its population, so shops will have more potential customers. So the larger a

settlement, the more likely it is to have shops selling high order goods.

Having services in a particular area is important. But far more important is whether

people are able to easily access the services they wish to use, for shopping and

entertainment, or in an emergency.

How access to services is changing

High street shops in particular are now facing greater challenges than ever before.

Many large shopping chains have completely closed down completely in recent years.

These are the closures that make the news headlines, though there are many others

where the company hasn’t disappeared altogether but has closed down some of its

shops that were unable to attract enough customers.

One of the main recent problems has been that of economic recession. As more people

become unemployed or are not given pay rises that keep up with inflation, there is less

money for people to spend on luxuries. They are said to have less disposable income

(the money that is left after all the essentials of living have been paid). If there is

less to spend, less money finds its way into shops which then struggle to survive.

Another threat to high street shops has come from the different shopping habits

brought about by changing technology e.g. internet shopping

HOW DO WE USE DIFFERENT SERVICES

What other services do you use and how do they affect your quality of life? The

frequency with which you use services can considerably vary. The ones that directly

affect you on a daily or weekly basis include school and sport, cultural and recreation

opportunities. Others are, perhaps, only noticed by you when you need to use them;

these include such services as hospitals and doctors’ surgeries.

What do we mean by urban services?

One advantage of living in a large urban area is that you can get access to a range of

useful services:

Leisure and sports facilities such as swimming pools or tennis courts

Cultural venues such as museums, galleries and theatres

Health services such as clinics and hospitals

A range of schools, colleges and universities providing parents with choice

Places of worship for a variety of faiths

Specialist shops and services such as travel agents and solicitors

A variety of public transport services including bus, train and underground

Does everyone have equal access to urban services?

People living in larger cities have more choice of services than people living in the

countryside: but do all city dwellers have equal access to urban services? Some groups

of people have better access to urban services than others. This may be for one of

two reasons:

The services are not distributed evenly through the urban area. So, for

example, people living in a central district may have better access to theatres

and museums than people living in a distant suburb of the city

Some services are more expensive than others, and not all groups of people can

afford them

(4) What differences are there in the provision of services

within an urban area?

CASE STUDY 2 – RETAIL SERVICES IN WIGAN

A case study of the distribution and variation of retail service provision and

the ways in which such provision is changing within one large urban area.

Remember that this case study focuses on the types of retail available to the

residents of Wigan, where it is found and who uses it.

Why does the provision of services / shopping differ across the zones of Wigan?

CBD mainly chain stores and department stores as well as services for shoppers for

example banks and bakeries. In Wigan this is found on Standishgate, The Galleries and

The Grand Arcade.

INNER CITY mainly charity shops, specialist shops and independently run shops

usually selling specialist items. In Wigan this is found on Market Street, Library

Street and other roads leading off Standishgate.

INNER SUBURBS mainly parades of shops selling convenience goods and services

e.g. bakers, off licences, florists and hairdressers. In Wigan this is found on Mesnes

Road and other roads that feed out of the town centre towards the edge of town.

OUTER SUBURBS mainly individual shops selling convenience goods, e.g. corner

shops. However, towards the edge of the outer suburbs there has been an increase in

out of town shopping centres where larger items can be sold, e.g. furniture and

electrical shops.

CBD –

Advantages –

• Under cover to avoid bad weather

• Excellent access by car and public transport

• High quality goods sold by national chain stores

• Lots of shops selling specialist items close together means cost of goods can be

compared

Disadvantages –

• Roads are often congested

• Expensive parking

• Limited amount of parking

INNER CITY –

Advantages –

• Often sell items that are similar to but cheaper than those in the CBD

• Still good access via public transport and car

• Can often get more individual items not sold by the chain stores in the CBD

Disadvantages –

• Rarely under cover

• Lots of charity shops and lower quality items

• Goods are often not as well presented as in the CBD

INNER SUBURBS –

Advantages –

• Mainly sell convenience goods and so people do not need to go the CBD

• Usually within walking distance of most peoples’ houses

Disadvantages –

• Not much choice and usually more expensive than a supermarket

• Will not be able to buy everything you need so will still have to visit other shops

anyway

OUTER SUBURBS –

Advantages –

• Mostly supermarkets so most things that will be needed on a regular basis can

be bought here

• Plenty free car parking spaces

• Good for comparing large specialist items as there is more room for display

Disadvantages –

• Not always easy to access if you don’t have a car

• Only within walking distance of a few houses

What impact does this difference have on different groups of people?

CBD People living close to the town centre have excellent access to a full range of both

specialist and convenience goods. This is ideal for people running the home and young

people who wish to meet up with friends. For older people and people with disabilities

getting into the busy town centre may be difficult and access to some shops may be

restricted. However, on the other hand, most shops in the town centre have lifts,

escalators or other means of improving access which would also be good for people with

young children

INNER CITY This zone in Wigan is good for elderly people, the shops are generally a

bit cheaper and many are close to the bus station for easy access. There are often

cafes and shops, which are independently run, offering personal service which is often

appreciated by the older generation. This zone is also good for people on low income.

Teenagers do not tend to like this zone as it does not have the chain stores at which

they like to shop

INNER SUBURBS This zone in Wigan is ideal for people running the home and elderly

or infirm shoppers. This is because it sells mainly convenience goods which these

groups do not wish to have to make a special trip into town for. This zone is unlikely to

suit people wishing to buy comparison goods as there is not enough choice or price

competition

OUTER SUBURBS There is very limited shopping in this zone but it does provide easy

access to convenience goods for the people who live nearby so it would appeal to the

same groups as the inner suburbs for the same reasons. The out of town shopping

centres would appeal to those people buying comparison goods and those people with

cars because parking is often plentiful and free

GROUPS TEENAGERS ELDERLY FAMILIES WITH

YOUNG

CHILDREN

PEOPLE ON LOW

INCOMES

YOUNG

PROFESSIONALS

BEST

ZONE

TO

SHOP IN

CBD sells most

of the

comparison

goods they are

interested in.

Is easily

accessed by

public

transport and

lots of

undercover

areas for

meeting

friends.

Inner suburbs

parades of shops

contain most of

their regular needs

for convenience

goods and are

usually within

walking distance

Outer suburbs sell

the goods they will

need for all

members of the

family. Child

friendly parking

spaces and

changing facilities

make life easier

for parents.

Inner city sells

most of the things

they will need but

for cheaper prices

than the CBD.

There are lots of

charity and pound

shops and it is all

accessible by bus

for those without

cars.

CBD sells most of

the comparison

goods they are

interested in.

Young

professionals may

live near the CBD

but they will be

able to afford the

expensive parking

if they drive to

the CBD.

WORST

ZONE

TO

SHOP IN

Inner suburbs,

there is no

ability to

compare goods

and no space to

meet up with

friends.

CBD, goods are

expensive and don’t

really cater for the

elderly’s tastes.

Access may be

difficult and

crowded with

people.

Inner city as have

to leave the CBD

and its facilities

to access the

shops. Goods are

usually more

cramped and

access for

pushchairs is more

difficult.

CBD, goods are

expensive and

often luxury

items. Without a

car the zone may

be expensive to

access if they

need to buy train

or bus tickets.

Inner city, the

goods in this zone

are less likely to

appeal to those

with plenty money

and are not as

convenient for

parking as the

CBD.

CASE STUDY 3 – LEISURE PROVISION IN WIGAN

A case study of one other service, and of the factors which affect access to that

service for different groups of people

Remember that this case study focuses on the types of leisure available to the

residents of Wigan, where it is found and who uses it.

Why does the provision of leisure services differ across the zones of Wigan?

CBD mainly public amenities such as the swimming baths and central leisure centres, this is

because public facilities have to be accessible to as many people as possible.

INNER CITY mainly private facilities such as gyms and the Soccer Dome. These are built

on former industrial land or redeveloped industrial buildings. They are usually well served

by public transport to encourage as many people to use them as possible. Also in this area

is Mesnes Park , this is found here because the land was bequeathed to the people of Wigan

as open space, if this was not the case it would have been built on.

INNER SUBURBS there aren’t many leisure facilities in this zone, mainly because there is

very little free space and accessibility for customers is not good.

OUTER SUBURBS in this zone it is mainly open parks like Ashfield Park or private facilities

that require expensive membership such as country clubs like Wrightington and Kilhey

Court or golf courses which require a lot of space.

What impact does this difference have on different groups of people?

CBD People living close to the town centre have excellent access to all public

amenities. This is ideal for people with young children and young people who wish to

meet up with friends. For older people and people with disabilities getting into the

busy town centre may be difficult and access to some facilities may be restricted.

However, on the other hand, most facilities in the town centre have better access

for those with mobility problems. People on low incomes will be able to access these

facilities by public transport and may get subsidised rates from the council.

INNER CITY This zone in Wigan is good for young people who will want to access

the Soccer Dome and DW Stadium facilities as they are on bus routes and they may

qualify for child discounts. This zone is also good for young professionals that may

wish to watch football or rugby or belong to the gym at the DW and can afford the

high membership and ticket prices. This zone is not so good for the elderly and

those on low incomes as the cost is too high and it may be difficult for them to

access.

INNER SUBURBS This zone does not have many leisure facilities but those that

are found, may be in a local community centre, may be better for the elderly or

families with young children as they will offer activities more suited to their needs.

These activities are usually cheaper and easier to access than those in the town

centre for these two groups.

OUTER SUBURBS The leisure activities in this zone often require money in order

to take part and therefore are better suited to young professionals or those

families with high incomes. Memberships of gyms, country clubs and golf clubs mean

that those on low income cannot afford to use them. There are however, parks like

Ashfield Park that those with lower incomes like the unemployed or the elderly can

use for free. Access is also limited to those people with cars as these facilities are

not well served by public transport.

GROUPS TEENAGERS ELDERLY FAMILIES

WITH YOUNG

CHILDREN

PEOPLE ON

LOW INCOMES

YOUNG

PROFESSIONALS

BEST

ZONE FOR

LEISURE

CBD, lots of

public

facilities that

they can

afford to use

as under 16

rates apply

and the town

centre is well

served by

public

transport

Inner city if they

wish to use Mesnes

Park as it is free and

on a bus route OR

possibly the inner

suburbs if a

community centre

offers courses or

exercise classes that

are suited towards

their age group close

to where they live.

Outer suburbs,

parks are free or

the family may

be able to afford

a family

membership to a

leisure club

where children

could learn to

swim and there

are classes to

suit different

family members.

CBD, accessible

by public

transport and if

the facilities are

council run they

may be entitled

to discounted

rates if they are

on benefits. May

also be

interested in

using Mesnes

Park for free.

Outer suburbs, this

group usually own

cars so access to

country clubs and

golf clubs will be

easy for them and

they will be able to

afford the

membership fees.

WORST

ZONE FOR

LEISURE

Outer

suburbs, too

distant from

public

transport and

too expensive

unless parents

pay the

membership

fees and give

them lifts.

Outer suburbs, many

may not drive

anymore and unless

they have a good

pension they are

unlikely to be able to

pay the high

membership fees.

They may also feel

that many of the

facilities offered are

no longer suitable for

them

Inner City, may

not be able to

afford high

ticket prices at

the stadium and

the facilities at

the soccer dome

and arena are

for older

teenagers and

young adults..

Outer Suburbs,

facilities are too

expensive and

hard to access

via public

transport if they

don’t have a car.

Could use

Ashfield Park

facilities for

free though if it

is close to their

house.

Inner Suburbs, very

few activities or

facilities that would

appeal to this group

in this zone and

they would much

rather use the high

spec facilities

found in the outer

suburbs as access is

no problem for

them.

(5) Why Do People Move To Urban Areas?

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MIGRATION

WHAT IS MIGRATION?

The movement of people from one place to another

TYPES OF MIGRATION

Permanent Migration – When people move away from somewhere to a new place with no

intention of ever returning

Temporary Migration – When people move to somewhere for a short time but then return

to the place they came from

Seasonal Migration – When people move for part of the year, often connected with work

or the weather

TYPES OF MIGRATION

Migration is the movement of people from one place to another in order to live. This

shouldn’t be confused with commuting, which is the daily movement of people from

their homes to their places of work. Migrants fall into two broad groups:

Refugees are people who move because they are forced away from the people

where they live because their lives are in danger. This may be the result of a

natural disaster or of a conflict, like a war. In the future it is possible that a

separate group of refugees may be recognised, that of ‘climate migrants’, as

extreme conditions force people to move away from their traditional home

areas. Refugees have little choice of whether or not to move.

Economic migrants move out of choice. They are usually attracted to a new

place because it offers the prospect of a better job and better living conditions

than in their original location.

The length of stay of either type of migration could be permanent or temporary, for

example, when people move for a short time because of the effects of a major volcanic

eruption. It may able be in order to take part in seasonal work. This is called circular

migration.

RURAL TO URBAN MIGRATION

CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF RURAL TO URBAN MIGRATION

Migrations take place because of a number of push and pull factors. Push factors are

those features of an area that encourage people to move away from that area. Pull

factors are features of an area that attract people to that area.

WHAT IS RURAL TO URBAN MIGRATION?

The movement of people from countryside areas to towns and cities happens in both

L.E.D.C.’s and M.E.D.C.’s., this process is called urbanisation.

WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF URBAN TO RURAL MIGRATION?

Urbanisation in M.E.D.S.’s began with the Industrial Revolution in the 19th Century as

people moved to towns for work in factories. Terraced housing was built for these

workers. Towns expanded to become cities. Now shops have replaced factories and

offices in the centre and 70% of the population live in urban areas.

WHY DOES MIGRATION HAPPEN?

The causes of migration can be divided into push and pull factors

Possible push factors Possible pull factors

Crop failure Job opportunities

Drought Better medical care

Lack of jobs Education

Limited education Better housing

War Attractive life style

Natural disaster

Also do not forget that migration can be voluntary or forced, some examples are given

in the table below.

VOLUNTARY FORCED

New job Religious persecution

New home War

To be near family Famine

To get better healthcare Fleeing a natural disaster

For study Political beliefs are not tolerated

Better weather Witness protection scheme

IMPACT OF URBANISATION

Housing

Many families have no home and have to live on the streets. Nearly half a million people

in India are reported to sleep in the open. Many more live in shanty settlements or

slums. Slum houses have mud floors, wattle or wooden walls and tiled or corrugated

iron roofs – materials that are not the best for giving protection against the heavy

weather. The houses are packed closely together and are separated by narrow alleys.

Inside each house there is probably one small room in which the whole slum houses

often lack electricity, running water and any means of sewage disposal.

Services

There are relatively few schools and a lack of doctors and hospitals. Public transport is

overcrowded and there is severe traffic congestion and pollution.

Water supply, sanitation and health

It is not uncommon in the slums for a single tap to serve up to 40 families. Sewage

often flows down the alleys. There this contaminates drinking water it causes cholera,

typhoid and dysentery. Rubbish, dumped in the alleys, provides an ideal breeding

ground for disease. Many children have worms and suffer from malnutrition.

Employment

Those with jobs tend to work in the informal sector, often using their homes as a place

of work. The front of slums houses can be opened up to allow the occupants to sell

food, wood, clothes and household utensils. Few people in the slums are totally

unemployed, but most jobs only occupy a few hours a week.

What are the consequences of rural to urban to migration?

What effect does migration have on the rural areas that the migrants leave behind?

Does the loss of so many people cause economic and social problems in the countryside?

Or does migration create benefits for rural areas? Research suggests that the

consequences of migration are very complex. They include:

Brain drain – the loss of some of the most skilled workers

Remittances – the money sent back by workers to support their families

Information and ideas – new technologies and skills learned in the city flow

back into the country where they are used to support local businesses.

CASESTUDY 4: INDIA URBAN TO RURAL MIGRATION, THE VILLAGES OF

TAMIL NADU TO BANGALORE

A case study of rural to urban migration: patterns, reasons, impacts.

TAMIL NADU – The rural area experiencing out migration.

Location: The region of Tamil Nadu is found in Southern India and apart from

a couple of major cities e.g. Chennai it is made up of many small rural villages.

Context: In the villages most people are farmers. The climate in India is

suited to rice growing but most of the farmers do not own their own land and

have to work very hard for low returns and, as a result, often live in poverty.

Why are people

leaving the

villages (push

factors) ……?

Water Supply: People have

to walk long distances to

gain water. The supply is

often contaminated / un-

reliable.

Jobs: Many work on farms

for rich land owners.

People do not get paid very

much and the work is hard.

Land ownership: Most people

do not own their land and have

to rent. This is expensive and

as a result they are only self-

sufficient farmers and unable

to sell for profit.

Government: Fail to invest

in the area due to declining

populations.

Healthcare: Is poor and

disease is common. Infant

mortality is high amongst

children and life

expectancy is generally

low.

Education: There is a lack

of education in the rural

villages and as children are

needed to work, many do

not feel the need to send

their children to school.

Housing: Houses are

cramped and family

members often sleep on

the floor.

WHERE ARE THEY GOING?

BANGALORE – The urban area experiencing in-migration – Pull Factors

Jobs – availability of a variety of jobs where more skills can be used and

more money can be earned

Housing – People expect the houses to be better than those in the rural

villages of Tamil Nadu

Water supply – Houses will have better access to the clean water supply

instead of travelling huge distances

Education – People expect there to be more schools with higher standards

of education than the rural areas

What are the effects of migration on the rural villages? (Tamil Nadu)

Village (E.G. Tamil Nadu, India): In farming region. Contaminated or distant water

supply, few farmers own their own land so most worked as labour on land belonging to

rich land owners so they now have a shortage of labour, so amount of crops that can be

grown falls. Disease and high infant mortality. Large families. As many families

migrate to cities. No-one strong enough left to sink new wells or do repairs on

buildings. Farming left to weak villagers so yields (amount of food grown) is reduced.

The government sees that the population is falling and so doesn’t invest in the area. An

increase in the number of elderly orphans who now rely on charities to survive as their

families have gone to the city. On the positive side some of the city migrants do get

jobs and send back money to family members still living in the village which boosts the

local economy.

Result – village becomes depopulated, only old and women left behind,

Schools and shops close, farms unable to produce enough food, help from the

government decreases.

GROUP ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Elderly Family may send money back if

they go to the city and get jobs

Many are elderly orphans as their

family moves to the city and they

are too old to go and their family

fail to find work so cannot send

money back to help

Young Children Fewer children in the village

may mean smaller class sizes in

local schools

If their friends move to the city

they may be lonely and facilities

for young people may fall if there

are fewer children

Land Owners More land may become available

to buy if people leave

All the skilled and fit workers

that you would have employed are

leaving the village leaving only the

sick and weak who cannot work as

well

What are the effects of migration (rural-urban) on the urban area –

Bangalore?

Increasing pressures created for the local authorities and existing residents. The urban

slum areas continue to increase in size rapidly as more people migrate from the surrounding

rural areas of Tamil Nadu. The people now live in unhygienic conditions as there is more

rubbish/sewage that the government have to dispose of, as they struggle to cope with the

increasing population. Access to clean water is difficult as more people coming to Bangalore

puts greater pressures on this limited resource. Generally there are fewer jobs as more

people mean that there is greater competition for jobs.

GROUP ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Factory owners

in Bangalore

They have a constant supply of very cheap

labour who are desperate for work

Many of the newcomers do not have the right

skills and will need training

People living in

the inner city

and outer

suburbs in

Bangalore

They have new people to meet and it may

encourage the council/government to invest

more in the city

They are unhappy because the newcomers

cause overcrowding and the risk of disease

from the slums. Services have to be shared

among an ever growing number of people

Local

Authorities

More people moving in may get jobs and

therefore pay task to boost the local

economy

Huge demand for houses, sanitation, health

care and education. The council cannot keep

up with demand

People living in

the slums

They may get work and be able to send their

children to school

They are living in awful conditions in the slums

with very poor facilities and at constant risk

of disease

How Are the Urban Areas Being Improved and Managed? WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS FOUND IN SHANTY TOWNS AND HOW CAN THEY

BE SOLVED?

Problems in Bangalore Solutions

Squatters with no rights to land – moved

on by authorities

Low cost housing built by local charities

available to buy for 10% of the construction cost, the

charity provides the other 90%

Overcrowding high population density More space in houses

Lack of basic services Services installed as standard

No running water leading to disease Connected to mains water – indoor kitchen area

provided for cooking

Lack of sanitation – disease and high

Infant mortality

Fitted bathrooms shared between three apartments

No electricity for cooking, light or heating Electricity provided but has to be paid for by

residents

Wooden houses – fire risk Built of concrete blocks - safer

No health care - hospitals too expensive Local clinics set up

Schooling limited – leave early to help family income More room to study at home and not taken up by

chores, such as fetching water.

Poorly paid jobs in factories Learn new skills through assisting with building.

Full time employment scarce Part time and “informal” jobs like shoe-shining –

especially by children

Big distance to work in city centre Limited bus services

High rate of crime and violence Safer, more secure housing, not queuing for toilets.

SELF-HELP SCHEMES IN THE BANGALORE SLUMS

Some people have been lucky enough to get one of the apartments. Those that haven’t

and still live in the slums have gradually done the following: Changed the building

materials from scrap wood to brick

Added extensions to the houses

Established services such as rubbish collection

Numbered all the houses so post can get through.

Set up shops, bars and other informal jobs within the slums.

Combined with this they have worked alongside the government and charities to get

electricity, public transport and schools within the slums.

(6) Why Do People Move To Rural Areas?

Urban to rural migration is Counter urbanisation

WHERE DOES COUTERNURBANISATION HAPPEN?

Mainly in M.E.D.Cs.

WHY DO PEOPLE MOVE TO THE COUNTRYSIDE FROM CITIES?

Wealthier residents moving away from pollution, noise, congestion, crime, older

housing of inner ring areas, lack of open space. These are push factors.

Attracted towards quieter, pollution free, “safer” environment with more pleasant

surroundings.

How has technology contributed to change in the countryside?

The move from town to country first became popular in the UK in the 1960’s and 70’s.

This was a period of rising car ownership and expansion of the motorway network. It

became possible to commute from a home in the country to a job in the city. Since

then, massive changes in communication technology have made it possible for increasing

numbers of people to work from a home in the country. Writers, researchers and

business consultants can spend most of the working week at a computer at home and

only need to commute to the office for the occasional meeting. This type of work is

known as teleworking or tele-cottaging.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF COUNTER URBANISATION?

Inner City – becomes depopulated, derelict housing, shops and schools close, older

people left behind.

Villages – Under pressure from new housing development. Young people already living in

village can’t afford inflated house prices. Friction between villagers and newcomers,

overcrowding. The villages start to take on the characteristics of a larger settlement

or town, we call this suburbanisation.

Don’t forget that many urban areas are changing and developing all the time

URBANISATION = This means that more of the world’s population is living in cities so

more of the world is taking on the characteristics of towns and cities

REURBANISATION = This usually involves the development of brownfield sites as

former businesses and houses get demolished to make way for new uses as the city

develops and changes to meet modern needs

GENTRIFICATION = This is when old urban buildings, often former factories and

warehouses, are changed and modernised often into new houses

SUBURBANISED = This is when rural areas start to take on the characteristics of

towns, often as a result of people from areas moving into the countryside

Change can lead to conflict: the lack of affordable homes

Many young rural people can no longer afford to stay in the countryside because

there is a lack of affordable homes

Too little new social housing is being built and that the sale of owner-occupied

housing to newcomers is forcing up the price of rural homes

Newcomers to a rural area often commute to a full-time job outside the rural area,

whereas local residents may work locally. Commuters may do their shopping in a large

retail park on the edge of the city where they work because by the time they get home

the village shops have closed for the day. The result is that, as a village attracts more

commuters; its shops may get fewer customers. Village pubs close and are converted to

homes, bus services are axed and local shops and banks may also close. The rise of

internet banking has also badly affected small rural branches.

The second homes issue

The lack of affordable housing in rural areas is often linked to the sale of rural houses

as second homes or holiday cottages. When a rural house is sold to be used as a second

home at weekends or during holidays there are two effects:

1. One less house is available to local people. Increasing demand for rural homes

forces up rural house prices

2. Even more villages are likely to close. Owners of second homes may spend only a

few weeks of each year in their village home, so little use for village services.

There are many different views about the function of the UK’s countryside. This is

partly because rural areas in the UK are so varied:

Many small towns in the south-east have become commuter villages

Large parts of the south-east and east are used for growing cereal crops

Many coastal areas in the south-west are used for tourism

Most second homes tend to be in the most scenic parts of England, especially Devon,

Cornwall, Cumbria and parts of Yorkshire. Within these large regions there is huge

variation. The average number of second homes for England is 0.6% but this rises to as

much as 12.6% among isolated homes and tiny hamlets in north-west England. The Lake

District National Park has an unusually high number of second homes.

WHAT ARE URBANISED VILLAGES?

Countryside villages attract wealthy urban workers and retired people – a process

known as counter-urbanisation. These in-comers see the village providing a quieter

environment and an improved quality of life. To accommodate these newcomers, large

and expensive private housing estates have been built. The houses on these estates

are usually large with modern amenities both inside and out. Although some services

may have improved, the rural appearance of the villages has changed. They increasingly

begin to look an extension to the suburbs of adjacent towns – hence the term

suburbanised village. Many settlements are also commuter villages from where many of

the inhabitants travel to work in nearby towns. The local community may be swamped

by newcomers and quite often divided into two groups. The narrow roads are rarely

suited to the increase in traffic.

Who makes the decisions in urban planning?

Planning permission is needed because:

• To keep conflicting land used apart e.g. housing and industry

• To ensure appropriate materials are used and safe building techniques are

employed

• To ensure that buildings are in keeping with those around them.

SESTUDY 5 – ONE BRIGHTON, A PLANNING ISSUE

A case study of one planning issue. Consider the plans, stakeholders and reasons

for conflicts.

How is a planning decision made?

Brownfield or Greenfield?

BROWNFIELD SITE – A DEVELOPMENT SIE WHERE OLDER BUILDINGS ARE

DEMOLISHED OR RENOVATED BEFORE A NEW DEVELOPMENT TAKES PLACE

GREENFIELD SITE – A PLOT OF LAND THAT HAS NOT BEEN USED BEFORE

FOR BUILDING.

A lot of new house building took place after the Second World War. New suburban

homes were built on the edges of UK cities and the term urban sprawl was used to

describe the resulting uncontrolled growth. UK planners at the time were so concerned

about the loss of the countryside that they prevented further loss by creating green

belts: wide zones around man UK cities within which new developments were

restricted. Green belts currently occupy 13% of total land area in England. Many

people living in smaller towns and rural areas of the South East are reluctant to see

new housing development on any Greenfield site whether it is on existing green belt

land or any other farmland. An alternative is to use a brownfield site. In other words,

new homes could be built on derelict sites within cities. Apart from preventing the loss

of green spaces this has other advantages which make this a more sustainable option:

Residents will use existing services such as public transport, schools and shops,

which helps to maintain demand for these services and keeps them running

The city remains compact rather than sprawling outwards. This reduces

commuting distances from home to work.

CASE STUDY 5 – ONE BRIGHTON

A case study of one planning issue. Consider the plans, stakeholder and reasons

for conflicts

Name and Locate:

The One Brighton housing development is found in the centre

of Brighton, next to the train station. Brighton is on the

south coast of England, approximately 70km’s south of central

London and 50km’s to the east of Portsmouth.

Why Was The Planning Scheme Needed?

It was needed because there was a shortage of affordable housing in Brighton, this had

occurred for a number of reasons:

1. “trendy” reputation of Brighton known as “London on Sea” meant that demand

for housing increased

2. Close enough to commute to London so many city workers want to move there

3. High wages and standard of living of those from London pushed the price of

housing up beyond the reach of many people already living in Brighton

4. Allowed redevelopment of a brown field site next to the station

What Planning Criteria Did The Plans Meet?

Brighton and Hove council needed to meet an affordable housing target and 30%

of the flats would be affordable housing and available to lower income groups

It met the sustainability targets for the council and adhered to the “One

World” principles that the council wanted to promote

It developed a brownfield site that needed improving and therefore did not

destroy habitats

How is the Development Sustainable?

HOW THE PLANS HAD TO CHANGE

Were supposed to be 4 or 6 storey buildings but were not financially viable due

to the cost of the land and the sustainability measures put in place so ended up

being 6- 10 storeys in each block

Only 31% ended up being affordable housing due to the costs, 69% needed to be

sold privately to subsidise the affordable housing.

One world principles of local

food, sustainable transport,

renewable energy, healthy

communities and healthy

lifestyles were met

Lots of sustainable transport is

close by. Railway station,

electric railway, urban linear park

for walking and cycle lanes

Allotment style planters on the

roof for growing own fruit and

vegetables, using rainwater

caught in water storage tanks on

the roof.

A bio mass boiler was fitted to

process waste from the flats to

generate green energy to be used

by the flats.

Off-site clean energy is the only

electric power used, it comes

from on-site solar panels and off-

site wind turbines

All flats are fitted with energy

saving lights and other appliances

as well as low flush toilets and

aerated taps and showers to

reduce water use

SUSTAINABILITY

MEASURES

All flats are built using

renewable and recycled

materials where possible and

have the maximum amount of

insulation and energy saving

measures built in

GROUP ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Young

Professionals

Get a modern flat in the

centre of Brighton

Close to train links to

London

Walking distance to jobs

in Brighton

May feel that affordable

housing affects the price

of their houses

No parking space if they

wanted to own a car

People on low

incomes

Can afford a house in the

centre of Brighton which

would not normally be

possible

Close enough to public

transport and walking

distance to amenities so

no need for a car or

expensive transport

May still be too expensive

for some people

There won’t be enough

affordable flats for

everyone that wants one

Environmentalists Happy with the amount

of sustainable materials

used in construction

Good that it meets its

own needs for power and

lots of the water needs

Some materials will still

be from non-renewable

sources

The buildings are taller

than was initially intended

and may spoil the look of

the area

Brighton and

Hove Council

Able to meet some of

their affordable housing

target

Redevelops a site that

needed attention close to

the train station

People moving into the

area will boost the

economy and pay tax

Still a shortage of

housing

Couldn’t provide quite as

much affordable housing

as they would have liked

HOW RECREATION CAN DAMAGE THE COUNTRYSIDE

The increased use of rural areas can cause conflict with local people or

conservationists. Visitors may disturb the peace of local residents. Park in gateways,

leave gates open, drop litter or allow their dogs to chase farm animals or scare ground

nesting birds. These problems can become severe if the visitors are concentrated into

one geographical area, perhaps somewhere that is particularly accessible and scenic.

Such places are known as honeypot sites. In some instances, the environment of honey

pot sites is physically damaged by visitor pressure. For example, in some parts of

Snowdonia or the Peak District, footpaths have become eroded, leaving scars in the

landscape.

CASE STUDY 6 – RIVINGTON COUNTRY PARK, THE IMPACT OF LEISURE ON A

RURAL AREA AND ITS SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT.

A case study of conflict at the local scale related to the opportunities for leisure

use of a rural environment and ways in which management attempts to balance

change and sustainability.

Name and Locate:

Rivington Country Park, NW England in close proximity to Bolton, Horwich and Chorley.

How the area is used:

Rivington Country Park has a number of opportunities for leisure from a wide variety of

people. Some of the leisure opportunities available are listed below:

Walking

Cycling

Horse riding

Go ape

Bird watching/ wildlife

Fishing

Tea rooms and gift shop

Many of the above points conflict with each other and the needs of the different

groups using the area and ultimately how the area is then managed. Remember that this

is an area that is under constant pressure from a large number of visitors that all want

to use the area for different reasons. The area has to be carefully managed in order to

meet the needs of all these visitors whilst at the same time trying to maintain the

natural environment. Any change to this rural environment can be controversial and

some groups of people will be averse to these changes being made as it can spoil the

natural beauty of the area.

How the area has been managed:

It has been necessary to manage the area to enable all these activities to take place

and for all the different groups to be able to continue using the area. It has also been

essential that the natural beauty of the area be maintained and the changes be made in

a sustainable way. There are a number of reasons why the area has been altered and

there are a number of places where the park has been managed.

Car Parks:

Due to increases in the numbers of visitors there is a greater need for more car

parking facilities. May of the car parks have been made using natural materials e.g.

stone surfaces, wooden bollards, wooden posts marking the edges of parking bays etc.

In some areas small speed bumps have been placed to reduce the speeds of cars and

these have been made out of natural stone cobbles. The use of natural materials helps

these facilities to blend into the natural environment making it suit the surrounding

rural area whilst at the same time providing the facility those visitors to the area will

need.

Footpath erosion:

Many of the paths in the park have been managed to reduce the impact of erosion.

Here natural materials have been placed e.g. wood chippings and wooden edging to the

paths. This is to prevent the paths from becoming eroded further and to stop the

paths being made wider. Further up towards Rivington Pike the footpaths have been

made using stone boulders as these areas are used by more people and for a variety of

different reasons.

Bridleways:

Ideal areas for people to exercise their horses. As this can heavily erode footpaths

there have been areas designated for bridleways and areas where horses are forbidden

in the country park.

Go Ape:

This is the most recent and controversial development in the Rivington Country Park

area. This Tree Top Adventure sees groups of people flying down zip wires and

climbing high through the trees whilst enjoying the scenery of Rivington Country Park.

In order to preserve the beauty of the area the course uses natural materials where

possible that blend in with the forest canopy. The landing areas of the zip wires use

wood chippings and although some of the trees have been removed to make way for the

tree top walk ways many would have been removed due to the natural thinning of the

forest. The trees that have been removed have been shredded and the chippings used

within the zip-wire landing areas. The car park that has been put in place has been

crafted using natural materials and this can easily be replaced. The cabin too has been

built out of natural wood materials and the carbon footprint of this small building in

this area is minimal. Whilst the course can get busy during peak times the course itself

blends in well with the surrounding forest area and is well maintained by the site staff.

Cycling:

There are many off mountain tracks that can be used by cyclists through the country

park. As mountain bikes can erode the paths this can cause a problem for the other

users of the park as tracks become increasingly muddy and difficult to travel across.

To prevent this problem from getting worse there have been stone steps put in place

around the Pike area. This reduces the access from the front of the Pike to bike users.

Also on some of the paths larger stones/ boulders have been placed to help reduce the

erosion and to make the surfaces more interesting for cyclists using these pathways.

The stone used is a natural stone and therefore fits the natural beauty of the area.

CHALLENGES OF LIVING IN A BUILT ENVIRONMENT CASE

STUDY QUESTIONS

Migration of people away from a rural area

For a migration of people away from a named rural area you have studied:

1. name the rural area

2. explain why the people moved

3. describe the effects of the movement on the environment and on those

people left behind in the rural area ( 8 marks )

Use Tamil Nadu in India

An improvement scheme in an urban area outside the United Kingdom

1. Name an urban area outside of the United Kingdom which has been improved

2. Describe how the urban area was improved

3. Explain how successful these improvements were for different groups of people

Bangalore in India

A planning scheme that affected the quality of housing for different groups of

people

For a planning scheme you have studied in a named area:

1) Name the area

2) Describe the planning scheme

3) Explain how the scheme affected the quality of housing for different groups of

people( 8 marks )

Use One Brighton

The distribution of a service

Choose a service you have studied from the list below:

Parks and public open spaces

Leisure services

Transport services

Shopping services

Offices

Education services

1) Name the place where you have studied this service

2) Draw a sketch map to show the distribution of the service

3) Explain the distribution of the service ( 8 marks )

Use either retail or leisure in Wigan

For a named urban area in the economically developed world, describe and account for

the distribution of different residential areas. Use a sketch map to aid your answer.

Use Wigan

For a named urban area in the economically developing world describe the attempts

that have been made to improve the area by the people living there or by other groups

or agencies and explain how successful these attempts have been.

Use Bangalore

Challenges of Living in a Built Environment

i. For a named area in a More Economically Developed Country (MEDC)

where services have changed:

Name the area

Describe how the services have changed

Explain how people have been affected by these changes

Use shopping in Wigan

ii. For a named rural area under pressure from many visitors:

Name the area

Describe the attractions to the area

Explain the problems the visitors man cause

Use Rivington Country Park/Go Ape