F5 T1 - Urban environments

urbanisation

the growth in the percentage of population that live in urban spaces (cities and towns)

how does urban areas differ from rural areas

1. economies

2. size

3. density of people and buildings are high

4. way of life

urban population statistic

1bn-4.75bn from 1960-2023

reason for increase in urbanisation

1. economic development → rural-to-urban migration (pull factors = higher paying jobs, push factors = poverty)

2. natural increase of population, better access to healthcare = less death rate

rural dilution

weakening of traditional rural culture and communitydue to the influx of urban lifestyles and residents

timeline of urban processes

1. agglomeration

2. suburbanisation

3. commuting

4. counter-urbanisation

5. urban regeneration

6. urban re-imaging

7. urbanisation of suburbs

agglomeration

definition - a collection of settlements that develop because of people and trade concentrating at favorable locations

results to urban settlements

suburbanisation

the outwards spread of urban areas creating new suburbs

→improvements in transpoert, overcrowding, congestion, migration of people from rural areas

conurbation

several towns, suburbs, cities join together into one vast continuous built-up area

counter-urbanisation

the momvement of businesses and residents from major cities to smaller cities/towns

results to rejuvanating of a city

dormitory settlements

only sleep in these settlements but commute to the same place of work in the main city and use urban services

processes of rejuvenating a city

1. urban re-imaging (changing look of an area)

2. urban rebranding (changing the way the area is know)

3. urban regeneration (addressing issues like housing shortages, environmental problems and economic decline within a city)

4. urbanisation of suburbs (surburbs of low-density development)

the urbanisation pathway

millionaire city

a city with more than 1m people

megacity

a city/urban area with a population greater than 10m

global/world cities

places of prestige, status, power and influence. critical hubs in the growing world economy (can be of any size)

megacity trends

1900 there were just 2 millionaire cities - paris and london. now, there are 400

reasons for growth of megacities

1. economic development attracts more migrants for work → further increases economic growth

2. population growth

3. economies of scale (shorter transport distances and communication results to financial savings which is an adv of cramming in a megacity)

4. multiplier effect (city prospers → more jobs, people come → development of services → more people come → more jobs needed)

Central business district (CBD)

main business center of a city or town, often referred to as “downtown”

(high conc. of buildings, offices, shops, financial institutions + oldest of the city)

why are similar land uses clustered together?

1. land values
   a. land most expensive at center of city
   b. ring roads (roads that encircle a city: form edge of city) are also high in value
   c. radicle roads (roads that extend from the center of the city; like radius of circle) and ring roads cross eachother have highest accessibility
   d. land sold to highest bidder, usually businesses
   e. businesses able to affore same land-value so they tend to cluster together

2. locational needs
   accessibility to customers and employees, availability of space for development and access to transpore therefore similar businesses share same locational needs

concentric zone model

core of CZM

oldest part of the city containing the CBD + earliest buildings

inner city ring of CZM

early suburbs, old housing, non-residential land use

suburban ring CZM

present suburbs with housing as dominant land use

urban urban fringe of CZM

countryside being ‘eroded’ by the outward spread of the built up area to provide new housing and some new non-residential uses

trend moving outwards from core of CZM

1. general age of built-up areas decrease

2. style of architecture changes

3. overal density of development changes

consequences of different land uses

1. people prefer to live closer to those of the same status as them, usually based on social class, type of occupation, ethnicity

2. wealth differences matter more as wealthiest buy large homes in best locations, poorest have no choice but to live in cramped or substandard housing in worst residential areas, many unable to buy a home and instead rent

rural-urban fringe/urban fringe

areas where the green fields and open spaces of the countryside meet the built-up parts of the towns and cities

what types of spaces are found in the rural-urban fringe

1. retail parks (large purpose-built superstores and shopping centres located at or just beyond urban fringe)
   a. more people own cars, large car parks are free. city centre shoppers face traffic congestion and expensive parking
   b. larger out-of-town centrers have well facilitated shopping malls which are pleasing for families

2. industrial estates
   a. light industries, smaller and do not require much money as heavy industries
   b. service industries (banking, hospitals)

3. business parks (created by property developoers to attract firms needing office accommodation)

4. science parks (located close to universities or research centres, encouraging quaternary activities)

5. housing estates ( a group of hosues or apartments by local gov or private developer)

greenfield sites

undeveloped land that has never been built on

why are g.f sites in high demand

for housing, industry, shopping, recreation, and needs of public utilities

push factors for choosing g.f sites/ urban fringe

1. dissatisfaction with the city

2. housing old, congested, expensive

3. environmental pollution

4. shortage of land for new buildings

pull factors for g.f sites/ urban fringe

1. land is cheaper, houses larger

2. factories more spacious

3. closeness to main roads and motorways

4. developments on the outskirts favoured by personal mobility allowed by car drivers

suburban sprawl

spread of urbanized areas into rural landscape

advantages and disadvantages of greenfield sites

advantages:

1. cheap and rates of house building is faster

2. layout not hampered by previous development

3. healthier environment

4. proximity of countrysided, leisure and recreation

disadvantages

1. valuable farmland, recreational space and attractive scenery lost

2. noise and light pollution in surrounding countryside

3. encourages further suburban sprawl

advantages and disadvantages of brownfield sites

advantages:

1. reduces loss of countryside and land used for agricultural or recreational purposes

2. helps revive old and disused urban areas

3. services already in place

4. located near main areas of employment

disadvantages:

1. more expensive because old buildings need to be cleared and free of pollution

2. surrounded by rundown areas, not appealing for wealthier class as residential locations

3. higher levels of pollution; less healthy

4. not have good access by road

ecological footprint

impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources

how can urban living be more sustainable

1. using renewable rather than non-renewable resources

2. using energy more efficiently

3. relying on public transport

4. improving public infrasturcture - clean water, proper sanitation

5. improving social services and accessibility

6. improving quality of life esp for urban poor

7. reduce ecological footprints

stakeholders

groups of interested people and organisation involved in managing urban challenges

local stakeholders

1. slum residents

2. utility suppliers

3. representatives in parliament or on city councils

4. landowners and property developers

5. urban planners

national stakeholders

1. government

2. national charities

international stakeholders

1. international charities eg. oxfam

2. inter-governmental organisations igos eg the world bank

deprivation

when a persons wellbeing falls below a level which is generally thought of as an acceptable minimum

uks multiple deprivation index

1. income

2. employment

3. health

4. education

5. access to housing and services

6. crime

7. living environment

symptoms of deprivation and poverty

1. physical signs of poor housing eg. slums

2. unattractive living env eg. noise, graffiti

3. lack of quality services in the area eg. schools, sport facilities

4. high incidence of unemployment and single-parent families

5. high incidence of crime and domestic disputes, and anti social behaviour 

urban regeneration

investment of capital in the revival of old urban areas by either improving what is there or clearing it away and rebuilding

urban re-imaging

changing the image and reputation of an urban area and the way people view it

rebranding

to help sell an urban area to a new target market

segregation

-of land use due to the differences in urban land values

desalination

removal of salt from sea water to produce fresh drinking water