UNIT CRITERIA
Urbanisation
Urban resurgence
Urban policy and regeneration in Britain since 1979
Urban forms
Spatial patterns of land use, economic inequality, social segregation, and cultural diversity in contrasting urban
areas, and the factors that influence them
New urban landscapes: town centre mixed developments, cultural and heritage quarters, fortress developments,
gentrified areas, edge cities. The concept of the post-modern western city
Social and economic issues associated with urbanisation
Issues associated with economic inequality, social segregation and cultural diversity in contrasting urban areas
Strategies to manage these issues
Urban climate
Thunderstorms in urban environments
Urban waste and its disposal
Urban physical waste generation: sources of waste – industrial and commercial activity, personal consumption.
The environmental impacts of alternative approaches to waste disposal: unregulated, recycling, recovery,
incineration, burial, submergence and trade
Comparison of incineration and landfill approaches to waste disposal in relation to a specified urban area
Urbanisation
Outline the concept of urban resurgence
Urban resurgence is the movement of people from rural areas back into the city centre, it is often a result of
urban regeneration. It refers to both the regeneration, both economic & structural, of an urban area which
has suffered a period of decline. It could be due to a variety of factors including; the lack of jobs in a rural
area, the new developments in a city centre and new shops and services opening, attracting new residents.
Urban resurgence is very common in post-industrial cities that experienced a period of decline in the 1970s
and 80s. An example of urban resurgence is after the regeneration of the Olympic Park in Stratford
whereby 10,000 new jobs were created in the new Westfield development.
Outline characteristics of an area undergoing urban resurgence (Specimen)
Urban resurgence occurs when an urban area is developed following a period of decline, this may happen
as a result of government policies to regenerate inner-city areas. Typically, people move back into inner city
and central areas; it is often young upwardly mobile people and university students seeking a ‘on-tap’
entertainment. An example of urban resurgence took place in New Islington Manchester where Urban
Splash built new homes called the ‘Chips’ building and cleaned up the canal.
Outline the urban policies and regeneration in Britain since 1979
Since 1979, there have been a variety of urban policies and regeneration schemes to improve city living.
Examples of these include; the Urban Development Corporations, Enterprise Zones and City Challenge.
The Urban Development Corporations was designed to regenerate areas in severe decline. The first UDCs
were developed in 1981 in the London Docklands and Liverpool. The London Docklands UDC attracted
new businesses and created new housing. From 1981-1991, 24,000 new homes were created alongside
84,000 new jobs.
, Urban forms
Outline the factors that influence economic inequality
Economic inequality is the increasingly large gap between rich and poor residents within a city. There are a
variety of factors which influence economic inequality. For example; housing, changing environments and
ethnic dimension. Housing developers often build housing on blocks of land with a particular market in
mind, this may price out some of the poorer residents in the area. Changing environments can also lead to
economic inequality whereby the traditional Georgian style houses used to house large families, but now
due to the changing demographic in city centres and the higher proportion of young adult couples and
single adults, these houses are too big. This can lead to economic inequality as there is a lack of affordable
housing. Ethnic dimension can also lead to economic inequality whereby ethnic groups may suffer
discrimination in the job market due to lack of skills or language barriers.
Outline the factors that influence social segregation
Social segregation is the exclusion of people from different social and ethnic backgrounds. Social
segregation can occur due to a variety of reasons including; seeking the support and security of living with
friends, the provision of specialist services or facilities and the maintenance of culture. For example, ethnic
minorities may seek to live together in order to achieve a sense of security. For example, in Brick Lane and
Spitalfields in London, there is a large diaspora of people from Bangladeshi descent. The provision of
specialist services or facilities such as places of worship is another factor that influences social segregation
as ethnic minorities may seek to live near their cultures place of worship. The maintenance of culture is
also a factor that may influence social segregation. For example, in New York, China Town is home to
nearly 100,000 people of Chinese origin.
Outline the factors that influence cultural diversity
Cultural diversity is the integration of a variety of different cultures within a city. There are a number of
factors which influence cultural diversity. For example; access to services, employment opportunities and
cities have a higher level of cultural tolerance. For example, in London, there are over 300 spoken
languages and 50 non-indigenous communities with a population of more than 10,000. Cities also have
more job opportunities and this can attract immigrants to the area, in order to earn money and to be socially
mobilised. Access to services can also influence cultural diversity. For example, access to free healthcare
such as the NHS in England, can attract migrants from places where healthcare is too expensive to gain
access to.
Outline what town centre mixed developments are
A town centre mixed development is the centre of a city with a variety of attractions. Town centre mixed
developments promote tourism and offer a wide range of facilities and leisure activities. For example, town
centre mixed developments promote the provision of street entertainment, an example of this is Covent
Garden in London. Town centre mixed developments also promote the development of nightlife such as
clubbing, for example, Ministry of Sound or Studio 338 in London, UK. The development of flagship
developments within the city is another important factor of town centre mixed developments. For example,
We The Curious in Bristol and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
Outline what cultural and heritage quarters are
Cultural heritage quarters focus on the history of a city and there are a way of conserving the city’s
development and story. For example, Southampton’s Cultural Quarter includes the SeaCity Museum, which
exhibits the city’s maritime history. Cultural heritage quarters are often home to museums, theatres and
galleries as well as the additional historic building. Additionally, they attract tourism and promote
conservation within the area. For example, the Northern Quarter in Manchester has been part of
Manchester since the 1980s in an attempt to conserve and savour the city’s rich history. Some argue that
cultural and heritage quarters are not necessary in every city, but they promote a sense of place and are
useful in improving perception.
Urbanisation
Urban resurgence
Urban policy and regeneration in Britain since 1979
Urban forms
Spatial patterns of land use, economic inequality, social segregation, and cultural diversity in contrasting urban
areas, and the factors that influence them
New urban landscapes: town centre mixed developments, cultural and heritage quarters, fortress developments,
gentrified areas, edge cities. The concept of the post-modern western city
Social and economic issues associated with urbanisation
Issues associated with economic inequality, social segregation and cultural diversity in contrasting urban areas
Strategies to manage these issues
Urban climate
Thunderstorms in urban environments
Urban waste and its disposal
Urban physical waste generation: sources of waste – industrial and commercial activity, personal consumption.
The environmental impacts of alternative approaches to waste disposal: unregulated, recycling, recovery,
incineration, burial, submergence and trade
Comparison of incineration and landfill approaches to waste disposal in relation to a specified urban area
Urbanisation
Outline the concept of urban resurgence
Urban resurgence is the movement of people from rural areas back into the city centre, it is often a result of
urban regeneration. It refers to both the regeneration, both economic & structural, of an urban area which
has suffered a period of decline. It could be due to a variety of factors including; the lack of jobs in a rural
area, the new developments in a city centre and new shops and services opening, attracting new residents.
Urban resurgence is very common in post-industrial cities that experienced a period of decline in the 1970s
and 80s. An example of urban resurgence is after the regeneration of the Olympic Park in Stratford
whereby 10,000 new jobs were created in the new Westfield development.
Outline characteristics of an area undergoing urban resurgence (Specimen)
Urban resurgence occurs when an urban area is developed following a period of decline, this may happen
as a result of government policies to regenerate inner-city areas. Typically, people move back into inner city
and central areas; it is often young upwardly mobile people and university students seeking a ‘on-tap’
entertainment. An example of urban resurgence took place in New Islington Manchester where Urban
Splash built new homes called the ‘Chips’ building and cleaned up the canal.
Outline the urban policies and regeneration in Britain since 1979
Since 1979, there have been a variety of urban policies and regeneration schemes to improve city living.
Examples of these include; the Urban Development Corporations, Enterprise Zones and City Challenge.
The Urban Development Corporations was designed to regenerate areas in severe decline. The first UDCs
were developed in 1981 in the London Docklands and Liverpool. The London Docklands UDC attracted
new businesses and created new housing. From 1981-1991, 24,000 new homes were created alongside
84,000 new jobs.
, Urban forms
Outline the factors that influence economic inequality
Economic inequality is the increasingly large gap between rich and poor residents within a city. There are a
variety of factors which influence economic inequality. For example; housing, changing environments and
ethnic dimension. Housing developers often build housing on blocks of land with a particular market in
mind, this may price out some of the poorer residents in the area. Changing environments can also lead to
economic inequality whereby the traditional Georgian style houses used to house large families, but now
due to the changing demographic in city centres and the higher proportion of young adult couples and
single adults, these houses are too big. This can lead to economic inequality as there is a lack of affordable
housing. Ethnic dimension can also lead to economic inequality whereby ethnic groups may suffer
discrimination in the job market due to lack of skills or language barriers.
Outline the factors that influence social segregation
Social segregation is the exclusion of people from different social and ethnic backgrounds. Social
segregation can occur due to a variety of reasons including; seeking the support and security of living with
friends, the provision of specialist services or facilities and the maintenance of culture. For example, ethnic
minorities may seek to live together in order to achieve a sense of security. For example, in Brick Lane and
Spitalfields in London, there is a large diaspora of people from Bangladeshi descent. The provision of
specialist services or facilities such as places of worship is another factor that influences social segregation
as ethnic minorities may seek to live near their cultures place of worship. The maintenance of culture is
also a factor that may influence social segregation. For example, in New York, China Town is home to
nearly 100,000 people of Chinese origin.
Outline the factors that influence cultural diversity
Cultural diversity is the integration of a variety of different cultures within a city. There are a number of
factors which influence cultural diversity. For example; access to services, employment opportunities and
cities have a higher level of cultural tolerance. For example, in London, there are over 300 spoken
languages and 50 non-indigenous communities with a population of more than 10,000. Cities also have
more job opportunities and this can attract immigrants to the area, in order to earn money and to be socially
mobilised. Access to services can also influence cultural diversity. For example, access to free healthcare
such as the NHS in England, can attract migrants from places where healthcare is too expensive to gain
access to.
Outline what town centre mixed developments are
A town centre mixed development is the centre of a city with a variety of attractions. Town centre mixed
developments promote tourism and offer a wide range of facilities and leisure activities. For example, town
centre mixed developments promote the provision of street entertainment, an example of this is Covent
Garden in London. Town centre mixed developments also promote the development of nightlife such as
clubbing, for example, Ministry of Sound or Studio 338 in London, UK. The development of flagship
developments within the city is another important factor of town centre mixed developments. For example,
We The Curious in Bristol and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
Outline what cultural and heritage quarters are
Cultural heritage quarters focus on the history of a city and there are a way of conserving the city’s
development and story. For example, Southampton’s Cultural Quarter includes the SeaCity Museum, which
exhibits the city’s maritime history. Cultural heritage quarters are often home to museums, theatres and
galleries as well as the additional historic building. Additionally, they attract tourism and promote
conservation within the area. For example, the Northern Quarter in Manchester has been part of
Manchester since the 1980s in an attempt to conserve and savour the city’s rich history. Some argue that
cultural and heritage quarters are not necessary in every city, but they promote a sense of place and are
useful in improving perception.
