London case study

Regional importance

• UK’s capital wealthiest city generates 22% of country’s GDP

International importance

• Many headquarters of international companies so attracts highly skilled workers

• National and international centre for education, media and communication

• Best global air connections after Dubai - importance as a tourist destination

What lead to population growth

• natural increase

• International net migration

Impacts of national migration

• Students and professionals internal migration due to job opportunities

International migration

• Diverse communities

Impacts of migration

• cultural mix

• Increased housing demand

• youthful population

• pressure on services

opportunities londo

• Cultural mix - Notting Hill Carnival, Brick Lane

• Entertainment - West End Theatres

• Job opportunities in finance (City of London)

• Integrated transport - oyster card, borris bikes, ferries, Heathrow

Cultural diverstiy

• 300 languages

• 84% think that cultural scene is important for QL

Envrionmental opportunities

• London is 47% green space (Hyde park)

Challanges - employment

• many migrants are exploited and paid below minum wage and have to work several jobs to meet needs

• Not enough housing so housing prices increase

• Many rented houses are overpriced and in poor conditions

• Inequalities in education, health (life expectancy can vary by over 10 years) and employment (Kengsington vs Newham)

Environmental challange

• Dereliction - ex-industrial areas

• waste disposal - london produces millions of tonnes/year

Greenfield site

• Area of land, often in rural or on the edge of an urban area, that has not yet been subject to any building development

Brownfield sites

• Lad that has been used, abandoned and now awaits some new use. Found in urban area, in the inner city

Urban sprawl

• unplanned growth of urban areas into the surrounding countryside

Rural urban fringe

• Zone of transition between the built-up area and the countryside where there is often competition for land use. It is a zone of mized land uses from shopping centres to motorways

Brownfield land advantages

• Sites are available since industry declines

• Reduces the need for urban sprawl

• Public transport is better in urban areas, so less need for cars

Brownfield disadvanatages

• Ground may need to be decontaminated

• Old buildings need to be demolished first

• Land is more expensive in urban areas

Greenfield land advantages

• Land is cheaper

• No demolition or decontamination is needed

Greenfield land disadvantages

• Public transport is worse in rural areas so ore need for cars

• increases urban sprawl

• Destroys natural habitats