Geography 6.1.1 Fieldwork Questions

What issues do rural areas face?

• Availability 

• Affordability 

Why is availability an issue?

• In rural areas there may be a lack of:

  • Housing

  • Services 

  • Jobs

  • Labour

Why is affordability an issue?

• Costs of some things are higher due to accessibility and demand including:

  • Houses

  • Transport

• Less accessible rural areas face challenges due to: 

  • Depopulation

  • Tourism

  • Counter-urbanisation

• In the UK 19% of people live in rural areas

• Rural areas are defined as areas with a population of less than 10,000

Housing in Rural areas

• In many rural areas there has been an increase in second homes and holiday homes

• Increasing numbers of people retiring or moving to rural areas and commuting or homeworking

  • The increased pressure on housing has led to increased prices which locals cannot afford

• Affordable housing is often substandard as they tend to be older properties which may lack heating or be damp

Employment in Rural Areas

• In many rural areas primary employment has decreased due to:

  • Mechanisation which means not as many workers are needed in farming, forestry and mining

  • Cheaper imports which reduce the demand for primary resources

• Primary industry declines further as:

  • The younger generation chooses better paid jobs 

  • Over 33% of farm owners are over 65 and near retirement age

Healthcare, education and services in rural areas

• Many areas have no Doctor's surgery or have limited opening times

• The nearest hospital may be a number of hours away as smaller hospitals have closed

• Bus routes have been reduced and many rural areas have no service for others it may only be a couple of buses a week

• Primary schools have closed due to low numbers meaning children have to travel long distances for school and college

Describe the negative multiplier effect.

Negative multiplier effect in rural areas

Quality of LIfe in Rural Areas

• Quality of Life can be assessed using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)

  • Uses a variety of indicators to indicate how deprived an area is including:

    • Education

    • Health

    • Housing

    • Crime

    • Income

    • Employment

    • Environment

• Although crime rates tend to be lower and the environment more pleasant that does not mean everyone's quality of life is high

• Different groups are affected in a variety of ways

Young people in rural areas

• Have to travel long distances to school/college

• Limited job opportunities

• Low wages

• Lack of affordable housing

• Lack of facilities and entertainment

Elderly People in Rural area

• Lack of public transport affects their ability to get around

• Often need healthcare more frequently and may have to travel long distances to access it

• Feel isolated

Environmental impacts of the diversifications

• Many types of diversifications have significant impacts on the environment

• Off roading and mountain biking lead to soil erosion and habitat destruction

• Renewable energy is controversial for a number of reasons:

  • Visual impact in areas of natural beauty

  • Uses land which could be used for farming 

  • Noise of wind turbines

• Increase in tourists leads to more traffic (most people travel by car) and congestion

• Traffic also leads to air pollution

• Increased litter 

• Barn and outbuilding conversions have reduced nesting sites for birds

• Increased water sports and boating on lakes cause erosion of lake banks which are valuable wildlife habitats

Recreation and Leisure

• Many of the ways of diversifying are linked to recreation and leisure

• People in developed countries have more time and disposable income 

• Visiting rural areas in leisure time for activities is increasingly popular

• Leisure activities linked to this on farms include:

  • Horse riding

  • Alpaca walking

  • Hunting and shooting

  • Off roading

  • Mountain biking

• Farms often provide the accommodation as well with barns and outbuildings converted to holiday cottages and fields used as camping/caravan sites