Why is Berkshire a successful region? (Connectivity, population, wealth)
-The area is very well connected: Road and rail links to London and Heathrow airport
- The population grew by 6.4% between 2001 and 2011
- The population is very well educated, almost half of all Berkshire workers are employed in knowledge based, managerial and professional occupations
-The wealth of the residents helps to support the rural economy through things such as farm shops with the economy being boosted by tourists
What are some weaknesses that Berkshire faces?
-There is an affordable housing crisis:
House prices have risen by 40-50% between 2005 and 2015
20% of working age residents are unable to afford a house
-The region may be unable to supply the increased demand for a workforce:
They need 70,000 more workers by 2020
What is the rust belt and where is it located?
Manufacturing areas that fell into economic decline as a result of automation, global shift and free trade
It is located in the N.E USA stretching from Michigan to New York. Cities include Detroit and Pittsburg
What have the impacts of industrial decline been for Detroit?
- Many people left the area in search of new jobs, ‘white flight’
- Local businesses shut down due to reduced footfall from automotive workers
- The area was left flooded with brownfield sites which stopped any new investment
- Urban decay happened as a result and there was a decrease in population as well as an increase in unemployment, crime and poverty levels
What is the spiral of decline?
- A business or industry shuts down in an area
- Many people leave in search of work, decreasing the population
- Local businesses see a decline due to reduced revenue and the local government sees a decline in tax revenue
- The reduced wealth in an area leads to less investment in an area as well as its public services which decreases the overall quality of life in area
- The area sees urban and environmental decay
Commuter village case study:
Itchen Valley, Winchester
- 1,900 residents
- It is a commuter hotspot due to its proximity to the M3 and mainline rail services into London
- The area has seen an influx of young families which has breathed new life into the local schools and the 4 local pubs
- The average house prices have skyrocketed to £588,882
Sink Estates case study:
Hartlepool, Middlesbrough
- Has struggled since the 1980s due to deindustrialisation and has seen 20,000 people leave since 1990
- Local businesses have closed due to a decline in the number of customers
- Unemployment is twice the U.K average
- There are high levels of anti-social behaviour and a lack of opportunities
- 1/3 of children attend a school that requires improvement
- House prices have to £57,000
Declining rural settlements case study:
Llonsilin, Wales
- 46.8% of those in rural Wales are within the 10% of with the least access to services e.g. GPs, Post Offices, Banks
- The village is home to 700 and the average house price is £230,000
How do social factors affect attachment to an area?
- Gender: women are more likely to engage in community work than men
- Age: Older people are more likely to engage in community activities as they have more free time
- Ethnicity: Minorities are more likely to vote in elections as they tend to have faced more hardships and so want change
- Deprivation: Those in deprived areas are less to vote due to voter apathy
What were some causes of the 2011 London riots?
- Rioters were angry with years of police mistreatment
- Britain had become increasingly unequal
- Rioters were angry with high youth unemployment as many of the rioters were under 20
- It was an unusually warm summer
What is regeneration like in Tottenham?
-The borough of Haringey has some of the highest unemployment in London
Positives:
- The Mayor of London has invested £28m into Tottenham which will rebuild the Peacock industrial estate creating 5,000 new jobs
- Haringey council has plans to build two new housing zones with 10,000 homes each in Tottenham
Negatives:
- The reopening of the Peacock Industrial Estate will result in the closure of local businesses
- Some argue that regeneration will end the religious diversity in the local area and price local people out of the area
Why might New Malden need regeneration?
- There is a lack of open space for the community
- There is only one train station linking New Malden to central London
- 5.7% of all New Malden’s homes are overcrowded
- The railway bridge and Shop fronts make the area uninviting to possible visitors
What evidence might be used to show that an area needs regeneration?
- Council data of the area
- Photographic data of the area
- Consultations with local businesses and residents
- Demands in the area:
- Housing demands
- School demands
- Other social demands (GPs etc..)
Why has New Malden been targeted for regeneration?
- It has good transport connections and is the only station in the Borough of Kingston in zone 4
- The average income is higher than the UK average but lower than the London average, making the area more affordable
- The population is expected to grow over the next 20 years with lots of that growth being down to an increase in the number of young professionals
- The increase in young professionals will increase tax revenue and so increase the amount of money being spent on public services
