1.a. Places are multi-faceted, shaped by shifting flows and connections which change over time

Case studies of two contrasting place profiles at a local scale, including:◦ their demographic, socio-economic, cultural, political, built and natural characteristics that shape their place identity.◦ their past and present connections that shape the place identity and embed them in regional, national, international and global scales◦ how shifting flows of people (such as commuter, migration), resources (such as natural, technology), money and investment (such as EU funding, TNCs) and ideas (such as knowledge economy) have helped shape the demographic, socio-economic and cultural profile of these places over time.

Lympstone - demographics

• 97% are white, little ethnic diversity.

• 50% are 65 and over.

• 57% are not deprived in any dimension.

• 94% were born in the UK.

• 51% in very good health, 34% in good health.

• Not ethnically diverse (only 1.1% of residents being non-white) - Due to the fact that the mainly agricultural/tourism led industries in the area didn't attract migrants in 60s

Lympstone - socio-economic characteristics

• 70% are single family households.

• 25% one person household.

• 78% are not employed and have not worked in the last 12 months.

• 20% are higher managerial administrative and professional occupations.

• 31% are lower managerial administrative and professional occupations.

Lympstone - cultural characteristics

• 43% are not religious.

• 50% are Christian.

• Traditional industries like fishing and shipbuilding declined, whilst tourism began to increase with construction of railway.

• Cultural calendar centres on Christian festivals such as Christmas and Easter (little cultural diversity).

Lympstone - political characteristics

• Has a parish council - Council deals with community matters such as lighting, planning applications and community facilities

• Powers are limited

• The constituency that contains Lympstone (East Devon) sends one MP to Westminster, & has electorate of 72,000

Lympstone - built characteristics

• £505,000 average housing price.

• 91% of accommodation is whole house or bungalow.

• Changes:

  • Former lower-order shops have closed and been converted into residences.

  • New housing has been built on the periphery of the village on the cliff top.

  • The main older village area is protected from development by the local council, in order to maintain traditional architecture.

Lympstone - natural characteristics

• Edge of an estuary

• Extensive tidal mudflats that extend out into estuary about 1.5km wide

• Pebble beaches along foot of cliff

New Malden demographics

• 25% Asian, Asian British.

• 61% white.

• 74% have one or more UK identity only.

• 21% Non-UK identity.

• 53% are in very good health.

34% in good health.

New Malden - socioeconomic characteristics

• 25% one person households.

• 65% single family households.

• 63% are in employment.

• 34% economically inactive.

• 21% are higher managerial administrative and professional occupations.

• 23% are lower managerial administrative and professional occupations.

New Malden - cultural characteristics

• 46% are Christian.

• 31% are non-religious.

• New Malden have prominent and vibrant Kirean influence with easy links to other parts of London and the local area through public transport.

• They celebrate Kimchi Day on 22^nd on November as well as Christian festivals like Christmas and New Years. 

New Malden - political characteristics

• There is a strong following in the Liberal Democrats with councillors like Robert Kim who work on fixing local issues like fairer service and green initiatives.

• New Malden is governed by Kingston upon Thames Council, following the 1965 merger of New Malden, Coombe and Surbiton. Local councillors influence planning, housing, transport and local services.

New Malden - built characteristics

• £560,000 average housing price.

• 25% of businesses and shops are Korean

• 78% of accommodation is whole house or bungalow.

• It is known as Korea town.

• Changes:

  • Over the time the Highstreet has evolved to become much more developed with shops like M&S and Sainsburys opening after the closure of Poundland and Wilko.

New Malden - natural characteristics

• New Malden golf course makes up the majority of the green space in New Malden.

• There are some smaller parks like Blagdon park and green lane recreation ground.

How have past and present connections shaped New Malden's identity -> local and regional scale

• New Malden was established as a result of the arrival of the railway

• New Malden Station opened in 1846 on the main line from Waterloo

• In the 1930s there was rapid suburbanisation and New Malden served as a bridge between urban London and rural Surrey

• In 1965, New Malden, Coombe, and Surbiton were all merged to make the borough of Kingston Upon Thames

How have past and present connections shaped New Malden's identity -> national scale

• New Malden suffered significant bombing in WW2

  • In 1940, 1300 homes were damaged from 150 bombs

  • Post-war housing developments were built, defining its modern residential layout

• In the 1970s, the South Korean Ambassador to the UK lived near Coombe, close to New Malden, which encouraged Korean expats to settle in New Malden

• New Malden serves as a cultural centre for the Korean population of South West London

  • Many London tourists come to New Malden because of the wide range of Korean restaurants, bars, and supermarkets

• In 2015 there were more than 20 Korean restaurants and cafes

 

How have past and present connections shaped New Malden's identity -> international scale

• New Malden is home to the largest Korean community in Europe

• The high numbers of South Korean citizens means

• There have been lots of international trade partnerships over time in New Malden, for example Samsung had its UK HQ there until 2005

• Beyond its Korean identity, New Malden also hosts a significant Tamil community from Sri Lanka and other parts of Asia.

  • In 2016 New Malden gained 'twin city status' with Jaffna, Sri Lanka

• New Malden is unique because it is home to both North and South Koreans.

  • There are around 800 North Koreans there

How have past and present connections shaped Lympstone’s identity -> local and regional scale

• Today Lympstone is a commuter town for people who work in Exeter

  • Improved transport links allow people to commute to Exeter and work at places such as the University of Exeter

• The Lympstone Parish Council maintains local identity by managing village specific issues like planning, roads, and community events

How have past and present connections shaped Lympstone’s identity ->national scale

• It served as a key port for Exeter

• The arrival of the railway in 1861 triggered time space compression and allowed the local shellfish industry access to wider national markets

  • It also established Lympstone as a tourist destination for wealthy Victorian families from Exeter

• In 2003, the Met Office moved to Exeter, bringing high skilled IT and professional jobs to Lympstone and Exeter

  • Now over 1/3 of Lympstone's residents are managers, directors, or senior professionals

• Lympstone has maintained an ethnically homogenous identity (over 97% white) because there are not many job opportunities for low skilled migrants

How have past and present connections shaped Lympstone’s identity -> international scale

• Lympstone was a Saxon settlement with a small port

• In the 13th century it has significant cross channel trading links with Europe

• Its global connections expanded further throughout the 19th century as it participated in the shipbuilding industry

• When the Met Office moved to Exter in 2003, this was the largest IT move in Europe, and made Lympstone part of the 'global knowledge economy'

  • This move attracted professionals from around the globe

How do shifting flows and connections shape place identity?

Places are multi-faceted and their identities change over time as flows of people, resources, money, investment and ideas create new demographic, socio-economic and cultural characteristics. Connections at local, regional, national, international and global scales can therefore continually reshape places.

How have commuter flows shaped Lympstone?

Lympstone is around 15 km from Exeter, so many residents commute there for work. Improved transport links have made Lympstone a commuter and retirement settlement for Exeter.

How have migration flows shaped Lympstone?

There is little large-scale migration: 95% of residents were born in England and 97% identify as white British. This contributes to Lympstone's relatively ethnically homogeneous population.

How have migration flows shaped New Malden?

New Malden has a large Korean population, including the highest population of North Koreans in Europe. The South Korean ambassador lived nearby and Samsung's UK HQ was there until 2005, encouraging Korean migration.

How have Korean migration flows shaped New Malden?

Korean migration created an established community, leading to Korean supermarkets, restaurants, language schools and churches. This made integration easier and attracted further immigrants, reinforcing New Malden's Korean identity.

How have resource flows shaped Lympstone?

The River Exe enabled shipbuilding and trading from the 13th-19th centuries. The railway arrived in the 1860s, allowing wider trade of shellfish and supporting population growth.

How have resource flows shaped New Malden?

New Malden's railway, opened in 1846, connected it to Kingston and London, allowing retailers to establish themselves. Demand from the Korean population also supports businesses selling Korean goods, such as H-Mart and Seoul Plaza.

How have investment flows shaped Lympstone?

Victorian investment followed the arrival of the railway. Today, £250 million has been invested in the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines by the Ministry of Defence, while private investment has developed Lympstone Manor.

How have investment flows shaped New Malden?

Victorian investment followed the railway. Samsung's UK HQ was located in New Malden until 2005, attracting Korean workers and businesses. Today, chain and Korean retailers contribute to economic activity.

How have flows of ideas shaped Lympstone?

Lympstone benefits from the knowledge economy because of its proximity to Exeter University, hospitals and other high-skilled employment. The Met Office's move to Exeter in 2003 brought high-skilled IT and professional jobs.

What has the knowledge economy done to Lympstone's socio-economic profile?

Many professional workers commute to Lympstone. Over one-third of residents are managers, directors or senior professionals, contributing to an affluent and highly skilled population.

How have flows of ideas shaped New Malden?

New Malden has easy access to London and Kingston, where universities, hospitals and major companies support the knowledge economy. Samsung's former HQ also connected the area to technology and knowledge industries.

How have changing working patterns shaped New Malden?

Around half of residents work from home, suggesting a shift towards quaternary employment and changing working patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic