urban issues and challenges geography case study gcse

social:

• 10,000 new homes by 2030; old athlete's village, 40% affordable
• a new academy has been built; all levels of education

economic:

• over 20,000 jobs by 2030; bring 5 billion to the area
• commuters can travel easily; second most connected in london

environmental:

• new green spaces created; providing habitats for wildlife
• built on brownfield site; decontaminated the area

social:

• 450 housing association flats torn down
• still high levels of unemployment

economic:

• rent and property prices increased due to the olympics
• old businesses whic employed locals were forced to move

environmental:

• olympics produced 3.3 million tonnes of co2
• lots of wildlife had to be relocated

in 2012 it was the second most congested city in the UK

response:

• ITS ( integrated transport system) promotes green travel
• links different kinds of transport with public transport
• 100 electric car charging points were installed
• aiming to double the number of cyclists by 2020
• planning to electrify the Bristol-London trainline

success:

has a higher % of people walking and cycling than any other UK city at 57% 

social:

• high levels of knife crime/gang-related crime
• shortage of houses and flats
• good schools are seriously oversubscribed
• very densely populated
• serious social inequality between the rich and the poor

economic:

• high levels of unemployment
• it's too expensive to live in the city so you must commute
• large strain on health services to meet the population
• lots of people are homeless/benefits

causes:

• pull factor of good jobs/culture/quality of life
• push factor of fleeing war zones
• windrush generation

effects:

• most culturally-diverse population in the UK
• puts a strain on already struggling services
• culture is celebrated- notting hill festival
• culture chinatown
• culture- food and restaurants are diverse and better

social:

• better access to health and transport facilities
• favelas offer a community spirit
• better help from the government than in the countryside

economic:

• employment opportunities although mostly informal
• cities tend to be more developed than the countryside
• jobs are more reliable than farming

social:

• only 55% have a local family health clinic
• only half stay in education after 14 (poverty cycle)
• dangerous and unhygienic living conditions in the favelas

economic:

• poorest 50% earn the same as the richest 1%
• informal jobs provide no guaranteed salary

environmental:

• air pollution kills 5,000 people a year (estimated)
• landslides are frequent on the steep slopes of favelas

main previous problems:

• high murder rate and gang-related crime
• most employment is poorly paid in the informal sector
• favelas and dangerously and illegally built

favela Bairro project:

• cablecar de Alemao- free return ticket a day to residents
• Pacifying Police UNit (UPP) patrol communities to reduce crime
• paved and formally named roads helps control growth
• teach residents the skills to safely make their own houses

However, more training is needed to improve literacy and employment