Contemporary Urban
Environments Revision
,Patterns of Urbanisation
Millionaire - important node in economic system 1 million +
Mega city - urban agglomeration with population: 10 million +
Meta city - conurbation with population: 20 million +
Causes of Urban Growth
1. Natural population growth
o Urban areas have young age profiles
o Longer life expectancy
2. Rural - Urban migration
o Push: Agricultural problems (desertification and low rainfall)
o Push: High levels of local disease (inadequate medical provision)
o Push: Natural disasters (floods, earthquakes)
o Push: Wars/civil strife
o Pull: More Employment opportunities in service industries
o Pull: Better Standard of living + perceived quality of life
Consequences of Urban Growth
1. Urban sprawl
® New roads, congestion+ air pollution (car-dependent lifestyles)
® Wildlife habitat + farmland loss
® Decentralisation of retail companies
® Homogenisation of landscape
2. Housing shortages
® Increased slum population in LICs & Lack affordable housing in HICs
3. Lack of urban services
® Lack of waste disposal, sewage and drainage maintenance
® Rapid spread of disease
* old car tyres used to make cheap sandals (Nairobi)
* washing machine doors used as kitchen bowls (Nairobi)
* glass bottles collected for refilling (Nairobi)
4. Unemployment
® Many migrants work in informal sector (street hawking)
5. Transport issues
® Suburb housing creates surges of morning and evening commuters
,Contemporary Urban Processes
Counter urbanisation - urban to rural movement, crossing rural-urban fringe
Decentralisation - industry movement from urban centre to outlying areas
Deindustrialisation - loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector
Gentrification - buying and renovating of run-down properties, by wealthy
Suburbanisation - inner city to outer city due to transport and communication
Urban resurgence - regeneration of an area suffering decline
1. Suburbanisation
Less pollution
Crime free
Quieter environment
® Urban sprawl
® Social segregation (wealthy move out)
® Diversion of funding away from inner city areas
2. Counter-urbanisation
Cheaper land prices in rural areas
broadband - allows people to work from home
car ownership - allows people to commute
® Tension between newcomers and originals
® Parishes amalgamated into larger units
® Closure of public local rural facilities as newcomers use urban facilities
3. Evidence for counter urbanisation
® increase use of commuter railway station
® increase value of housing in area
® construction of more executive housing
® demolition of old properties
® conversion of former farmhouses to exclusive buildings
4. ‘Rural turnaround’
® Out migration of young village-born seeking employment
® Decline of elderly village-born
® In migration of married couples/families
® In migration of more affluent = increased house prices
, Urban Change
Causes of deindustrialisation
1. Mechanisation - cheaper to use machines
2. Competition from abroad i.e China and Taiwan
3. Reduced demand for traditional products
4. Depletion of resources
5. Change of government policies
Impacts of de-industrialisation
Social
® increase unemployment
® increase levels of deprivation
® outmigration of qualified, working population
® increase levels of crime and social issues
® loss of community morale
Economic
® loss of jobs and disposable income
® loss of tax income to local authority
® increase demand for state benefits
® de-multiplier effect in urban areas
Environmental
® Derelict land and deterioration of infrastructure
® Long term pollution from ‘dirty’ industries - lack of money for remediation
® Reduction in noise, traffic and pollution
Decentralisation
ø Redistributing, functions, powers or people away from CBD
ø Delegation of power amongst different levels of government
ø Aim to improves production efficiency
ø Improves accountability to service users
Urban policy (general)
Å Government strategies to manage urban development
Å Involves a holistic, ‘bottom-up’ approach
Å Involves coordinated involvement of individual sub-policies
Å Eg. Regeneration
Environments Revision
,Patterns of Urbanisation
Millionaire - important node in economic system 1 million +
Mega city - urban agglomeration with population: 10 million +
Meta city - conurbation with population: 20 million +
Causes of Urban Growth
1. Natural population growth
o Urban areas have young age profiles
o Longer life expectancy
2. Rural - Urban migration
o Push: Agricultural problems (desertification and low rainfall)
o Push: High levels of local disease (inadequate medical provision)
o Push: Natural disasters (floods, earthquakes)
o Push: Wars/civil strife
o Pull: More Employment opportunities in service industries
o Pull: Better Standard of living + perceived quality of life
Consequences of Urban Growth
1. Urban sprawl
® New roads, congestion+ air pollution (car-dependent lifestyles)
® Wildlife habitat + farmland loss
® Decentralisation of retail companies
® Homogenisation of landscape
2. Housing shortages
® Increased slum population in LICs & Lack affordable housing in HICs
3. Lack of urban services
® Lack of waste disposal, sewage and drainage maintenance
® Rapid spread of disease
* old car tyres used to make cheap sandals (Nairobi)
* washing machine doors used as kitchen bowls (Nairobi)
* glass bottles collected for refilling (Nairobi)
4. Unemployment
® Many migrants work in informal sector (street hawking)
5. Transport issues
® Suburb housing creates surges of morning and evening commuters
,Contemporary Urban Processes
Counter urbanisation - urban to rural movement, crossing rural-urban fringe
Decentralisation - industry movement from urban centre to outlying areas
Deindustrialisation - loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector
Gentrification - buying and renovating of run-down properties, by wealthy
Suburbanisation - inner city to outer city due to transport and communication
Urban resurgence - regeneration of an area suffering decline
1. Suburbanisation
Less pollution
Crime free
Quieter environment
® Urban sprawl
® Social segregation (wealthy move out)
® Diversion of funding away from inner city areas
2. Counter-urbanisation
Cheaper land prices in rural areas
broadband - allows people to work from home
car ownership - allows people to commute
® Tension between newcomers and originals
® Parishes amalgamated into larger units
® Closure of public local rural facilities as newcomers use urban facilities
3. Evidence for counter urbanisation
® increase use of commuter railway station
® increase value of housing in area
® construction of more executive housing
® demolition of old properties
® conversion of former farmhouses to exclusive buildings
4. ‘Rural turnaround’
® Out migration of young village-born seeking employment
® Decline of elderly village-born
® In migration of married couples/families
® In migration of more affluent = increased house prices
, Urban Change
Causes of deindustrialisation
1. Mechanisation - cheaper to use machines
2. Competition from abroad i.e China and Taiwan
3. Reduced demand for traditional products
4. Depletion of resources
5. Change of government policies
Impacts of de-industrialisation
Social
® increase unemployment
® increase levels of deprivation
® outmigration of qualified, working population
® increase levels of crime and social issues
® loss of community morale
Economic
® loss of jobs and disposable income
® loss of tax income to local authority
® increase demand for state benefits
® de-multiplier effect in urban areas
Environmental
® Derelict land and deterioration of infrastructure
® Long term pollution from ‘dirty’ industries - lack of money for remediation
® Reduction in noise, traffic and pollution
Decentralisation
ø Redistributing, functions, powers or people away from CBD
ø Delegation of power amongst different levels of government
ø Aim to improves production efficiency
ø Improves accountability to service users
Urban policy (general)
Å Government strategies to manage urban development
Å Involves a holistic, ‘bottom-up’ approach
Å Involves coordinated involvement of individual sub-policies
Å Eg. Regeneration
