TOPIC 5 - UK's evolving human landscape

The population distribution is uneven:

• population density is highest in cities e.g. London, Glasgow, Birmingham
• it's also high where major cities have devoloped into conurbations - towns that have merged to form continuous urban areas

• upland areas such as northern Scotland and central Wales are mostly rural. Rural areas have a low population density

> urban cores are the central parts of urban areas.

> population density is the number of people living in a given area

urban cores :

1) have a higher concentration of economic activity e.g jobs

2) the main employment opportunities are in the tertiary sector and in manufacturing

3) many people live in cities because there are more jobs available and they are better paid

rural areas : (rural periphery - areas away from the urban cores)

1) have fewer job opportunities

2) more primary industry e.g. farming, forestry, fishing, quarrying

3) have seasonal tourism 

4) some rural areas near to cities become commuter settlements

urban areas:

• higher proportion of younger people in big cities e.g. London, Manchester, Bristol 
• people often livein cities to be closer to their jobs so a higher proportionof the population is of working age

rural areas:

• there is a higher proportion of older people living in rural areas e.g. Northern Ireland and Scotland.
• older people move out of cities to retire to a more peaceful environment and younger people leave rural areas to work in cities

some rural areas are struggling to grow economically e.g.:

1)

• isolated rural areas on the periphery (edge) of the UK e.g. north Wales, north west Scotland, which are relatively inaccessible.
• there are few employment opportunities 
• young people leave to find jobs elsewhere - depopulation leads to loss of services like shops, doctors surgeries

2)

• rural areas around former industrial areas where there is the loss of manufacturing has caused high unemployment (e.g. north east England and parts of the midlands) 

1) CREATING ENTERPRISE ZONES

> the Gov. has created 55 enterprise zones 

> these offer companies beenfits for locating in enterprise zones; reduced taxes, simpler planning rules and imprved infrastructure like WiFi

> this encourages companies to locate in these areas of high unemployment, bringing jobs and income

> for example Dorset Green

TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE:

> the UK Gov. plans to link London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester with a new high speed rail line - HS2.

> this will increase capacity and allow faster journeys promoting industry and jobs in poorer rural areas

> on a local scale: Lancaster counciln has built a new road to link the port of heysham to the M6 - this encourages businesses to invest by reducing travel times and easing congestion, creating more local jobs

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

> the EU has used the European Regional Development Fund to promote growth in poorer rural areas by investing in small high-tech businesses and providing training.

> the Common Agricultural Policy is an initiative to make sure EU farmers can earn a living from farming

1) roughly 1/2 the UK's population is driven by natural increase (more births and deaths) and about 1/2 by migration

2) overall since 1983 more people have moved to the UK than have left and net migration has generally been increasing 

DISTRIBUTION:

• young national/international migrants mostly move to cities where most jobs and unis are
• there has been lots of counter-urbanisation (movement of people away from urban areas to rural areas) as wealthy people move out of cities

AGE STRUCTURE

• the largw number of young migrants increases the population in this age group
• migration also affects the age and structure of the UK by increasing the birth rate because many migrants are of child-bearing age - account for 27% of babies born

• after WW2, the UK encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries to fill skills shortages in the UK workforce
• later, entry was restricted but work permits for migrants with desirable skills were made available
• the EU allows free movement of people within member countries to find work
• this has meant the UK has a high proportion og people of Carribean and Asian ethnicity
• International immigration has increased cultural diversity - languages, food, arts, festivals and fashion

'old economy' = primary and secondary sectors

1) since 1960 jobs in primary industries have decreased. Farming has become mechanised so fewer people are needed. The mining industry had declined due to competition from abroad and cheaper alternative fuels

2) jobs in secondary industries have also decreased - people employed in manufacturing has fallen

3) employment in the tertiary industry has increased - retail is the UK's largest sector, finance is also an important part of the economy

4) quarternary industries e.g. IT and research development are increasing, making use of the UK's skilled university graduates

foreign direct investment (FDI) = a company based in one country can invest money in a different country - 2 examples of FDI:

1) companies can buy land or buildings and locate their offices or factory there

2) companies can buy all or part of an already existing business

• FDI has been increasing in the UK
• most of this investment comes from transnational corporations (TNCs)

This is because of globalisation, privatisation and free trade policies.

GLOBALISATION: (the process of countries become more integrated)

• transport and communications links have improved making it easier for companies to operate in the UK
• London has developed as a global financial centre and many foreign banks have located there because of networking oppportunities

PRIVATISATION:

• services that were previously run by the UK Gov. have been offered to private firms. This increases FDI because foreign firms can buy them or merge with them.

FREE TRADE POLICIES:

• these reduce import and export restrictions, making it easier for countries to trade. This increases FDI from the EU because companies can move goods and services freely.
• this can attract foreign investors to the UK

advantages:

1) jobs are created

2) large scale projects can be built that the UK government can't afford 

3) TNCs develop new products, technology and business practises used to increase productivity

disadvantages:

1) can lead to over-reliance on TNCs e.g. if there's a problem somewhere else in the world the UK's economy is affected negatively

2) there are big effects if TNCs choose to relocate or change suppliers - some businesses are dependant on TNCs

3) local businesses struggle to compete against TNCs - small shops close down

London is a GLOBAL CITY in south east England:

• it is sited on the flat floodplain of the River Thames
• it is the UK's capital city and over 20% of the UK's income comes from London
• It is the centre of the UK's transport system - used to have a major port, has two international airports - Gastwick and Heathrow, there is easy access to the European mainland via the channel tunnel
• it has a major influence on its surrounding area - companies are attracted to the region because of the proximity to London which increase jobs and wealth
• it is a world city and one of the most important finacial centres in the world

central business district (CBD) - City of London. The main land use is commercial and is a mix of new high-rise office blocks and historical buildings. Land is expensive so building density is high. There are a few small parks.

inner city - Newham. The main land use is low-class residential and is high density, old terraced housing, 1960-70s high-rise flats and modern apartments. Poor environmental quality, some green space. - Chelsea. The main land use is high-class residential and is 80% 19th century buildings. Land is expensive so building density is high. Many large terraced houses, some flats. High quality green space - most houses have gardens.

suburbs - Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames. The main land use is middle-class residential and is good quality 20th century houses and shops and restaurants. Most houses have gardens and there are large areas of good quality green space.

rural-urban fringe - Crockenhill, Sevenoaks. The main land use is high-class residential and is large houses with gardens - the area is surrounded by countryside. - Thurrock. The main land use is industrial, commercial and it's industry includes oil refineries, manufacturing etc.

the population of London is growing due to:

• international migration 
• national migration - within the UK young people moving to cities for work
• internal migration growth - the young population means there are more births than deaths in the city

inner city London has the highest rate of people moving in and out. Highly skilled people move to the inner city to work in high-paid jobs and low-paid migranst looking for jobs in the service sector.

migrants who have been in London for longer tend to move out to the suburbs as they become more settled.

migration influences different parts of the city:

• age structure - there is now a higher % of people aged 25-34 in inner city London and a lower % of people over 65. Most migrants are of working age.
• ethnicity - ethnic diversity is higher in inner city areas .
• population - population growth rates are increasing in inner city areas because of high immigration rates and because many immigrants are of child-bearing age - birth rates are higher.
• housing - the high rate of immigration is leading to overcrowding. Poorer immigrants often live in older terraces and council tower blocks in inner city because they are more affordable.
• services - in inner city areas where immigration rates are high, there is an increasing demand for services e.g. education and health care however these areas are often the poorest areas in the city so it's hard to provide what's needed.
• Culture - London is very culturally diverse. Many immigrants choose to settle near people with the same ethnic background giving an area a distinct ethnic character e.g. Chinatown. Food, music and goods from that culture can be found there.

The index of mulitiple deprivation (IMD) combines data on employment, health, education, crime, housing, services and the environment to give an overall quality of life. Deprived areas have a low quality of life.

Deprivation is highest in the inner city and in parts of north London. East London is generally more deprived than west London.

Poorer people are limited in where they can live:

• they can only afford poor quality housing, often in inner city.
• they may need to live close to work if they don't have a car or can't afford public transport. >this can make it difficult for them to leave deprived areas - trapping them in a cycle of poverty

Deprivation affects people's access to jobs and services, widening the gap between the rich and the poor.

SERVICES:

rapid population growth and a high turnover of people puts perssure on services e.g. health and education. Funding services is hard as councils get less money from taxes and businesses.

EDUCATION:

The best state schools are over-subscribed and difficult to het into. Wealthy parents can send their children to fee-paying schools however poorer families can't afford this end up in under-performing state schools. This traps them in a cycle of poverty - lack of education -> lower paying jobs

EMPLOYMENT:

There are less manufacturing jobs in inner city - new industries locate on the outskirts. More than 25% of London's population are living in poverty due to unemployment or low wages

HEALTH:

Unhealthy lifestyles e.g. smoking, drinking, poor diets are more common is deprived areas leading to lower life expectancy. NHS is free but if often overwhelmed, private care is too expensive

De-indrustrialisation and depopulation led to decline in the central areas of London:

1) e.g. the decline of docks and manufacturing industries in the East End led to mass unemployment

2) which lead to counter urbanistion, depopulation and suburbanisation

3) this lead to houses being left derelict and a decrease in local services

4) lead to de-centralistion

5) the growth of online shopping (e-commerce) puts pressure on high street shops and businesses

financial/business services and TNC investment:

• is revitalising the CBD - the city of london is  global centre for banking, insurance and law companies
• TNCs locate HQs in London because it is fincial centre

gentrification and srudentification:

• some areas have been gentrified and new businesses are locating to these areas
• areas e.g. Camden have been studentified which has led to thriving services, entertainment venues, new jobs and wealth for the area

urban sprawl:

• most growth has taken place in the rural-urban fringe big shopping centres e.g. Bluewater have been built on the edge of th city - cheaper land, less congestion, more parking
• industrial areas have been developed on the outskirts of london
• the availability of jobs has attracted people to live there

continued...

leisure and culture:

• the 2012 olympics led to investment in the East End - now it is less deprived and has new transport links, the athlete's village is now a housing estate and the stadiums are still in use. 
• this led to new jobs and urbanisation

rebranding is about improving a place's image so that people will want to go there. It usually involves regeneration - making actual improvements to an area e.g. new buildings and services. It also involves marketing to improve the reputation of a place.

advantages:

• transport links were improved
• environmentally friendly - green spaces aren't just for appearances
• businesses attracted back - Canary Wharf has many businesses there now
• population increases - businesses thrive

disadvantages:

• many local people were forced out - unskilled workers who couldn't afford the new houses and weren't qualified for the new jobs
• some traditional businesses e.g. pubs, community centres were closed and replaced with services targeted at wealthier newcomers
• existing communties were destroyed - local people were moved to new towns and estates 

• employment - many companies encourage working from home 1-2 days a week in order to reduce emmisions and people's commuting time, however this doesn't work for all jobs
• recycling - more recycing means fewer resources are used and less waste
• green spaces - have environmental benefits - more trees, creates areas with less pollution. They are also essential for quality of life
• energy efficient housing - BedZED in Sutton is a sustainable community that promoted energy conservation, they also recycle 60% of their waste. However there is only one project
• transport - to reduce greenhouse gas emmisions London introduced a congestion charge, London buses have been conerted to hybrid to be more fuel-efficient and clean, and Source-London provides electric charging points for electric vehicles.

london is connected to the rural areas around it - they rely on each other for goods and services:

labour; many people commute into london from surrounding areas to work. Also students and yound professionals move into london from surrounding areas for work and leisure

goods;london relies on surrounding areas for food - many farmers sell their produce to supermarkets and shops who transport it to the city. Also many rural people travel into london to do their shoppping because the shops are better there.

services;london has great hopsitals, private schools and specialist services and people from surrounding areas travel in to london to use them. Many londoners travel into the countryside for leisure activities e.g. golf, walks, horse riding etc.       

benefits:

• some businesses in rural areas have seen an increae in business as newer residents are wealthier
• some farmers have made money selling land or buildings or diversifying their business
• some existing houses have been improved - renovated
• less pressure on housing in london

costs:

• somme villages have become commuter settlements meaning the villages are empty in the day - reduced demand in shops
• new housing estates have been built in the countryside - affects wildlife habitats
• many commuters drive in the train station to get a train into london - additional traffic, increasing air pollution, congestion and parking issues