Understand the causes and consequences of contrasting urban trends in ACs, including suburbanisation, counter-urbanisation and re-urbanisation
Urban trends in Advanced Countries
Urban areas in Advanced Countries are also going through change. There are three main processes; suburbanisation, counter-urbanisation and re-urbanisation.
Suburbanisation
This is the process where people move from the city centres to the newly developing outskirts (or suburbs).
Causes of suburbanisation Push factors Pull factors
- Overcrowded in the centre
- High crime rates
- Pollution
- Lack of green
- Slum clearances
- Deindustrialisation
- Unemployment
- Lower population densities
- Family friendly
- Larger housing (with gardens)
- Improvements in public transport
- More private car ownership
- New industrial/business developments
- Cheaper rents/house prices
Consequences of suburbanisation Social Economic Environmental
- Few people live in centre
- Less demand for services
- Wealthier people move out
- Lower income left behind
- Migrants form communities
- Business move out
- Unemployment
- Lower living standards/poverty
- Derelict buildings in centre
- New housing estates at city edge affect wildlife
- More impermeable surfaces, resulting in flooding
- More cars, so congestion and pollution
Counter-urbanisation
This is the process where people move from the city back to the countryside.
Causes of counter-urbanisation
Push factors
Pull factors
- Congestion and parking
- Crime and violence in cities
- Land values are high
- Greater value for money in house buying (bigger houses and gardens)
- Quieter and safer
- Good transport links to the cities
- Greater car ownership
- Technology (internet) allows working from home
Consequences of counter-urbanisation
Social
Economic
Environmental
- Greater demand for housing increases prices
- Locals cannot afford increased prices
- Commuter settlements develop
- Services open for older people, some younger people may lose their services
- Change in the character of the settlement
- Increased business opportunities (pubs with restaurants)
- Wealthier residents don’t use services (i.e. buses), so services stop
- Farmers make money from selling land for development
- Many residents own cars, so more congestion and pollution
- New housing estates built on rural habitats
Re-urbanisation
This is the process where people move back into the city from the countryside.
Causes of re-urbanisation
Push factors
Pull factors
- Lack of jobs
- Lack of services (including leisure and entertainment)
- Counter-urbanisation has caused a rise in house prices
- Government policies have meant investment into old derelict industrial areas, creating new development (i.e. Leeds South Bank)
- Students go to urban universities and then stay in that city
- Young people more likely to find work, so want to live close to work (and entertainment)
- The multiplier effect – new investment encourages more investment
Consequences of re-urbanisation
Social
Economic
Environmental
- Jobs created, meaning crime falls
- Schools may benefit from more young people
- Original city residents (perhaps on low incomes) cannot afford high house prices in new developments
- Possible tension between original residents and new-comers
- New services (coffee shops) replace older services (greasy café)
- As people move back, new shops and services open, boosting the economy
- New jobs may not be accessible to original residents, who may not have the skills
- Tourism may increase, further benefitting the economy
- Redevelopment of old derelict sites in the urban areas (brownfield) prevents the city growing into the countryside (greenfield)
- Can have a positive impact on urban wildlife habitats (new green areas incorporated into developments)
- Can have a negative impact on old derelict wildlife habitats