Contemporary Urban Environments 1

Urbanisations, Suburbanisation, Counter-urbanisation and Urban Resurgence

Urbanisation

The increasing proportion of people living in towns and cities

Why is 2008 a milestone date for urbanisation?

The world's urban population passed 50% for the first time

Suggest 2 reasons why urbanisation is important in human affairs

• the GDP of some cities is bigger than some countries creating an important economic pull

• population increases in cities can lead to more reliance and dependence on rural areas for good food and energy production

• urban areas have political influence

• exchange of innovative ideas usually occurs in urban areas such as research parks or universities

What are the 4 most urbanised continents?

• Europe

• North America

• South America

• Oceana

What are the 2 least urbanised continents?

Africa and Asia

True of False? The most rapid increases in urban population are occurring in South America

False - Africa and Asia

Which continent houses the largest total number of urban dweller?

Asia

Millionaire city A city with over 1 million inhabitants

Megacity

City with more than 10 million people

Metacity

an urban agglomeration (city and suburbs) of 20 million people or more

Fill in the blanks: In ____ there were only 2 megacities - _____ and _____.

1950, London, New York

What are world cities? What are their characteristics? What are the 3 main world cities?

• have global influence due to their status and financial power

• New York, Tokyo and London (due to time differences on the world stock exchange) - now being joined by NEE cities

• house headquarters of TNCs and international consumer services

• places of innovation and research

• cultural centres

What are the 2 main causes of urban growth?

rural-urban migration and natural increase

Compare the pattern of urban growth due to migration in HICs and LICs

• In HICs rural-urban migration has slowed or stopped altogether or reversed due to counter-urbanisation

• In LICs there is massive rural-urban migration, mainly of young males due to more employment opportunities and a better quality of life in urban areas

Describe the growth, location and problems in immature megacities

• uncontrolled growth fed by rural-urban migration

• found in the developing world

• growth is so rapid that housing, transport, education, sewers, services and healthcare cannot keep up

Describe the growth, quality of life and problems in consolidating megacities

• slower growth rate than immature megacities

• begin to provide basic services and self-help schemes enable housing and water accessibility improvements

• many people still live in slums and work in the informal sector

Describe the growth and quality of life in maturing megacities

• growth managed efficiently so there is advanced transport, education and waste systems in place

• more developed formal economy, with large service industries

• majority live in legal, well-built homes

Describe the growth and quality of life in established megacities

• found in developed countries

• slow growth rates

• stable government

• regeneration and sustainability project

• high-end, professional service sector employment

• high QoL

Give 4 ways that megacities can benefit a country

• economy - 2-3x more GDP than other cities

• social - better access to services which are more economically efficient to provide for a large population

• infrastructure less environmentally damaging when provided to areas with high population densities

• employment - more opportunities

• politically influential

• innovative centres of technological advancement

What are some of the issues of megacities?

• unsustainable urban expansion - puts pressure on resources, infrastructure and services; increased congestion and air pollution; pressure on greenbelts and urban sprawl

• mass migration

• flood risks - in slums built on unsuitable areas of land such as floodplains or old swamps such as Dharavi in Mumbai

• legal issues - difficult to govern rapid growth leading to inadequate services

What are some of the consequences of urbanisation?

• housing shortages leading to the development of shanty towns which have limited infrastructure causing congestion, pollution and illegal dumping of waste

• urban sprawl - loss of habitat, increased impermeable surfaces increase flood risk, increased traffic congestion and pollution from commuters

• unemployment is high in cities putting pressure on job opportunities which can lead to underemployment (people doing work that doesn’t make full use of their skill set)

• primate cities - cities with double the population of the next largest city in that country - leading to influential economic regions which could create marginalisation in a country as other areas are neglected

What is suburbanisation?

The movement of people from living in inner parts of the city to living on it’s outer edges (rural-urban fringe)

What has increased the rate of suburbanisation in recent years?

• development on public transport

• increased car ownership

• technological advancement allowing working from home

How has suburbanisation in the UK changed over time?

• 1930’s “ribbon” development - growth along main roads entering cities. however became a concern so green-belts were introduced

• 1950’s - large scale construction of council housing on urban fringe

• recently - increased private housing estates

What are some of the consequences (positive and negative) of suburbanisation on the inner city?

• decentralisation effect - funding diverted away from inner city to pay for infrastructure in the suburbs leading to inner city decline

• suburbanisation of jobs leads to decreased employment opportunities so increase unemployment and poverty

• potential for environmental improvement of derelict land and more green space

• decreased need for high density housing, leading to more lower density housing

What are some of the consequences (positive and negative) of suburbanisation on the suburbs?

• increasing employment opportunities in decentralised businesses

• land price increases

• increasing pressure on greenbelts

• loss of local village character

• increased demand for recreation and retail facilities

• increased air pollution and congestion from commuters

What are some of the consequences (positive and negative) of suburbanisation on the city as a whole?

• size of city expands making the provision of services less economically efficient as population density increases

• greater polarisation between suburbs and inner city

• decentralisation of employment opportunities which can lead to the ‘doughnut effect’ of hollowed out city centres

Describe the suburbanisation structure of Oxford

• Oxford has grown in a star shape due to the rivers Thames and Cherwell

• The centre houses the CBD and university buildings, with expensive housing for uni professors and a business/leisure complex around it

• In the eastern suburbs there was the Cowley Mini factory, due to the NE prevailing wind historically blowing smoke away from the city

What percentage of London’s population live in the suburbs?

60%

What is counter urbanisation?

The movement of people from large urban areas into smaller urban areas or rural areas, leapfrogging the rural-urban fringe. It can mean daily commuting and require lifestyle changes, such as the increased use of technology to work from home

Describe the location of Linby, and example of a village which has grown due to counter urbanisation

Linby is a small village, near the town of Hucknall, north of Nottingham

What social and demographic factors have lead to an increased demand for housing within the UK?

• population increase

• decrease in the number of people per household due to increased divorce rates

• desire to raise children outside of cities

What new developments are planned in Linby?

• 800 new homes

• new primary school

• healthcare centre

• shopping facilities including a Tesco

• park and ride facility with access to Tram system

• new industrial estate

Why is Linby a good location for development?

• near the M1 which connect to Nottingham in the south and to Sheffield in the north

• railway station less than a mile away

• this makes it a good location for commuters 

Give some reasons for counter-urbanisation?

• urban push factors e.g. traffic congestion, high crime rates, lack of green space, economic deprivation

• employment decentralisation - tertiary and quaternary sectors increasingly preferring to locate in business parks as well as increased working from home in post-2020 hybrid work models

• demographic shifts - rising life expectancy means more retirees in rural areas, people more out of cities to have children

• improved transport and connectivity - high car ownership, integrated public transport systems and improved broadband connections

• rural pull factors e.g. lower crime rates, clean air, more green space

What are some of the effects of counter urbanisation on rural settlements?

• loss of village character as becomes commuter settlement with many new housing estates

• increased pressure on roads

• house prices increases pricing out local residents and youth

• high second home ownership reducing the supply of available homes

• growth of edge town shops and services causing the ‘doughnut’ effect

• increased pressure on local services

• developments may become catalysts for further development on nearby land

What are some of the effects of counter urbanisation on urban areas?

• council tax base declines increasing degradation

• outward migration of wealthier families creates socio-economic polarisation in cities

• increased pressure on greenbelts

• businesses relocate causing the negative multiplier effect

• allows inner city to be redeveloped and put to better use

• less demand for services