Suburbanisation&

Counter UrbanisationPROCESSES OF CHANGE IN URBAN AREAS

PART ONE

Population Movements and Urban Areas

Key Themes• Suburban growth is caused by the pull of the suburbs

and the push of the city

• The process of suburbanisation is entering a new phase with offices and businesses now leaving the city for the suburbs

• Rapid urban growth creates social and environmental problems, including sprawl, pollution, congestion, and problems of water supply and waste disposal

• Planning responses to the problems of urban growth vary in terms of their attitude to the quality of urban life and the environment.

PROCESSES OF CHANGE IN URBAN AREAS

1. Suburbanisation – decentralisation of people, employment and services from the inner part of the city towards the margins of the built up area – the effects of suburbanisation are felt within the city and in the surrounding rural areas.

- remember this has much to do with the improvements in public transport and increases in income (You need to be prepared to be able to talk through the causes and consequences drawing on examples you have studied)

2. Counterurbanisation – this is change extending beyond the city area and marks the apparent reversal of the urbanisation process which is occurring in MEDCs – i.e. urban – rural migration is taking place.

Suburbanisation is the outward growth of urban development which may engulf surrounding villages and urban areas

DEFINITION

SUBURBANISATION

Growth and decline cities• 75% of people in MEDC’s live in

urban places• However since 1970’s the trend

has been to move out of cities into rural areas – this is caused COUNTERURBANISATION

• This pattern hides significant variations between cities

Why are people moving out?

• Suburbanisation in MEDCs has been occurring since the mid 20th century

• The main reasons for it are-Transport infrastructure improved – public and private(reliable bus service, electric trains, and cars)Increasing wealthDecentralisation of industry and other facilities in the suburbsDemand and availability of housing (often to replace outdated inner city)Availability of low-cost land allowed cheaper, but larger houses to be built

Suburbanisation in the modern era

Who moved?

1950 -1980 30% UK city based population moved out of central areas to urban fringe

Wealthier middle-class inhabitants were able to commute to work (professional white collar, high skilled blue collar workers)

Why did they move?

Perception of better lifestyle:clean & greenless congestionsense of community(Village Hall, Church, Pub,

School, Shop, Sports Club etc.

Safe:Less crime & vandalism

Economic change:Footloose industry – self

employed entrepreneurs

How did they move?• Transport evolution brought a new phase of

suburban growth, each one adding a ring onto the existing city

Consequences of Suburbanisation

• Consequences were decentralisation of towns and cities

• Many estates were private houses, but there will still several council estates built to re-house people from the inner cities.

• The major consequence of Suburbanisation therefore was social segregation

• N.B. every suburbanised village is slightly different, but the same principles, causes and consequences applies

• East Keswick is an example of a large suburbanised village

Suburban Dream• Families to

own their own home with a garden

• Send their children to good schools

• Escape the dirt and crime of the city

Private Estates

Council Estates

INFILLING

Rural Urban Fringe – North Leeds

Result = urban sprawl

The Limitations• Suburbanisation in the UK has

been limited by the establishments of-

Green Belts

• These have prevented further spread of residential areas and other developments

• In many other MEDCs these planning restrictions do not exist e.g. Phoenix, USA see textbook p200 201

PROCESSES OF CHANGE IN URBAN AREAS

PART TWO

Counter Urbanisation

Definition:Counter Urbanisation is“The movement of people from an urban

area into the surrounding rural area”

• A different process to Suburbanisation, but easy to confuse them if not careful(Suburbanisation is the movement from

the centre of urban areas to the outskirts)

There are 2 distinct trends:1. A movement of employment to rural areas2. A movement of people to rural areas who then

commute.

Counter-urbanisation began in Britain in the 1960s in particular and by 1990 a net movement of 1,700

people were leaving for rural areas.

Causes of Counter Urbanisation

• Accessibility- railways, motorways etc.. Easier to get to work

• Mobility- more people now own cars• Increased wealth- meaning houses and travel is more

affordable• Agriculture- less labour and land needed- land

becomes available• Because of previous point, many agricultural workers

leave the area• Green belts mean people need to go further out to

get the place they are looking for• Fashion- people’s desire to live here

Who is moving to rural areas?

• Traffic congestion• Pollution• Fear of Crime (muggings, burglary and car theft)• Rural dream (idea of the ‘rural idyll’ – pleasant

surroundings, quiet etc.)• Estate Agents, housing developers etc.. All

encourage outward movement through new developments / building more houses and marketing these areas.

What are the push / pull factors?

• The most affluent and mobile people

• Families with children (keen to avoid the possible disadvantages of city locations)

Negative Effects

House prices increase – locals young people cannot afford to buy property in areas they grew up – loss of traditional buildings

Middle class immigrants – social structure changes -local resentment caused

Lack of appreciation of traditional customs of village life by newcomers – change in community spirit

Dormitory villages lose vitality and community spirit (very quiet during the day)

Increase in population

Increased traffic flow & dependence on car – increase congestion & accidents

Decline in local shops & services (N.B. issue of Post Office closures) replaced by(supermarket/filling station)

Loss of agricultural land

Consequences of Counter Urbanisation

Positive Effects

Improvement in services – e.g. gas mains, cable TV, supports local schools

Supports some local facilities (e.g. pub, builders etc.) – although others may close

Primary schools might flourish (or close) – young population - increase nursery provision

Housing fabric improved, new housing, bar conversions.

Light industry may develop, B&B, small hotels, bistros

Model of a Suburbanised Village

To finish off :

• Your case study for the exam is the local example of East Kewsick

• However, the textbook example often quoted is Bicester in Oxon

• Read the material on Pages 202 & 203

• Answer Questions 1, 2 & 3

Re-urbanisation

PROCESSES OF CHANGE IN URBAN AREAS

PART TWO

Who moves back?Some people decide that rural locations are not suitable for them and end up moving back

Who?

• Young couples with no children

• Older people (divorced / separated or prefer availability of services in urban areas)

Why?

• Some find urban areas more convenient with the range of services available

• nearer shops

• shorter commuting distance for those who actually work in the city (reduce travelling times / stress / tiredness)

• entertainment – night life / clubs / theatres

Housing Location and type – people that move back tend to move to

• Apartments (with security systems etc.)

• 3 storey town houses (more being built – densification)

Question

• Assess the effects of suburbanisation on cities within countries of different levels of economic development

(10 marks).

Mark scheme

• Level 1: simple statements of effects which could apply to a wide range of suburbanisation. There is limited use of case study material and no overall assessment is given.

(1-4 marks)

• Level 2: Statements of effects that are sophisticated and/or linked to specific areas of study. Good use is made of exemplification to support the answer. Marks in the upper range should be awarded for clear references to suburbanisation within urban areas at different levels of economic development. Assessment is tentative and implicit.

(5-8 marks)

• Level 3: A fully developed answer, with good elaboration and clear detail of the effects of suburbanisation with the chosen urban areas. Statements of assessment are explicit.

(9-10 marks)Note the key word is ‘assess’ therefore you must make

some judgement of the effects of suburbanisation on the chosen areas referred to. You must refer to at least 2 different countries at different stages of economic development- good use of case study material is necessary. A wholly general or theoretical answer will have difficulty accessing the higher levels.