Contemporary Urban Environments | Glossary (N-Z)

non-agricultural based regeneration

regeneration focused on producing revenue for rural businesses (e.g., tea rooms, paintballing, historic attractions)

overheating

when increased demand for housing and the services of an area results in rising prices rather than increased output

perception

a person's view of a place or issue based on feelings, experience, and outside forces such as the media

political engagement

the willingness and ability of an individual to vote or join political parties or pressure groups

pressure groups

usually voluntary organisations with the aim of persuading the public and changing government policy or authorities’ actions

population density

the number of people per square kilometre

rebranding

creating a new look or reputation for an area

regional disparity

the economic or cultural gap between different parts of a country

retail-led regeneration

regeneration focused on attracting shops to high streets and markets and establishing warehouses and logistical hubs for TNCs (transnational corporations)

reimaging

regeneration and rebranding specifically focused on removing negative perceptions about a place

rural decline

reduction in population in rural areas, leading to reduced services and government spending for that region

rural-urban continuum

a range of living spaces running from the remotest peripheral rural villages to the CBD (central business district) of the city

segregation

the separation of a group from other groups through force or voluntarily, often occurring due to housing strategies or regeneration projects

sink estates

council estates that score badly on the Index of Multiple Deprivation

spiral of decline

stages of rural decline that contribute to a positive feedback loop, with more outward migration and increasingly declining services

stakeholder

an individual with interest or influence within their community (e.g., residents, local businesses, farmers, NGOs)

social clustering

groups of people with similar backgrounds frequently living together

social exclusion

the inability of a group of people to become involved in the cultural activities of a place

soft regeneration

investing in the skills and education of the population to improve their own quality of life

urbanisation

an increase in the proportion of a population living within urban areas

urban resurgence (re-urbanisation)

the movement of people back to an area which was previously in decline, the influx of people and investment further improving the social, economic, and environmental conditions of urban areas