Changing Urban Environments

Changing Urban Environments

1. Urbanisation

   • Fastest in Poorer Countries
     • Most of the population in MEDCs live in Urban areas already.
     • 25% Bangladeshi population live in rural areas
   • Caused by Rural-Urban Migration
     • LEDC
       • Shortage of services
       • More jobs
       • Better standard of living
     • MEDC
       • Industrial revolution- Factories created work in the cities
       • Redevelopment of urban areas
   • Also caused by Good Healthcare and High Birth Rate in Cities
     • Young people move to cities to find work and have children.
     • Better health care= longer life
   • Is the growth in proportion of a country's population living in urban areas.
     • More than 50% of the world's population live in urban areas- Increasing daily

2. Parts of a City

   • The Suburbs
     • Housing areas
     • Edge of city
     • Nice environment
     • Cheaper land
     • Easy to commute to CBD
   • CBD
     • Central Business District
     • City Centre
     • Commerce
     • High Building density
     • High land values
     • Low population
   • Rural-Urban Fringe
     • Very edge of city
     • Both urban and rural land uses
     • Fewer, larger houses
   • Inner City
     • Around CBD
     • High rise flats
     • Poorer quality
     • Older industrial buildings
     • Run down and deprived
   • The Land Use of the parts can differ from city to city
     • Doesn't always match the Burgess Model
     • Can change over time
       • New housing on brownfield sites
       • Inner City redevelopment
       • Out of town shopping Centres (e.g. Cribbs)

3. Urban Issues

   • Shortage of Good Quality Housing
   • Run down CBDs
   • Traffic congestion and Pollution from cars
   • Ethnic Segregation
   • Growing Population Needs more Housing
     • Relocation Incentives
       • Encourages people who are living in large houses in the city which they don't need to move to rural areas.
       • Frees up homes for working families in the Inner City
       • Usually older people
       • Get rewarded
     • Urban Renewal Schemes
       • Government Strategies
       • Encourage investment in...
         • New Housing
         • Services
         • Employment
         • In run down Inner City areas
       • Successful example- Liverpool docklands
     • New towns
       • Built to house overspill population
       • Milton Keynes
       • Shortages of housing
   • Efforts are Being Made to Revitalise CBDs
     • Pedestrianising areas
     • Improving access with better public transport links