Rural-Urban Links - Keywords

ageing population

a country which has a high proportion of people aged over 65 is said to have an ageing population

brownfield site

a development site where older buildings are demolished or renovated before a new development takes place

Central Business District (CBD)

the area of a town or city in which most shops and offices are clustered together

counter-urbanisation

the movement of people and businesses from large cities to smaller towns and rural areas

commuting

the process of travelling some distance between home and work on a regular basis

deprivation

a condition in which people lack some basic needs such as money, a job, or a decent home

The Egan Wheel

8 features of a community which can be used to decide how sustainable the community might be

features of the Egan Wheel

housing and built environment; well designed and built

social and cultural; active, inclusive and safe

governance; well run

transport and connectivity; well connected

services; well served

environmental; environmentally sensitive

equity; fair for everyone

economy; thriving

garden cities

new, planned urban areas (towns) that have village-like communities and plently of space for private gardens and public open space

Green belt

a government policy used to prevent the spread of cities into the countryside. it is very difficult to get planning permission for new homes in a green belt.

greenfield site

a plot of land that has not been used before for building

NIMBY

Not In My Back Yard. people who object to a development because they live close by are said to be NIMBYs

second homes

houses which are used only for holidays or at weekends. also called holiday cottages

sphere of influence

the area affected by a place or event. effects can be good or bad

sustainable community

a community, in an urban or rural area, that provides a good quality of life for residents with local jobs and local services and which is designed to have minimum impact on the environment

urban-rural continuum

a sliding scale with urban areas (cities) at one end and remote rural areas (empty countryside) at the other