All the conflict case studies for A2 AQA Geography

Contemporary Conflicts and Challenges

The Geographical Basis of the Conflict

Conflict Resolution (see conflict continuum sheet)

Conflict over the Use of a Local Resource (e.g. land, buildings, space)

Case Study: London Olympic Site (Local Resource, MEDC)

Location: Stratford, North of the River Thames, next to hackney, near A12, 5 miles from central London.

This was an area of discard, with a large section of unused brownfield land, easy to re-develop Hackney, cheap and a good regenerations scheme for the area.

• Economic Problems: Regeneration of the land was needed since the area was full of small, run-down businesses and low paid industrial jobs, very unlike an area in such a good position. The area used to be a huge, important industrial area up to the 1950’s with its dock, textiles, chemical, and food production and the population just get growing with more immigrants each day. But the docks closed up till the 1980’s, there was a change in industry, more competition and different jobs, leading to the decline of the land.

• Social Problems: Lots of single parents with low average salary – 1/5 of Kingston’s average. 41% of Newham were under 24 with few working skills and qualifications with a very diverse population. Lack of affordable housing in the area and ¼ were over capacity. Bad healthcare.

• Environment Problems: Contaminated brownfield land, huge abandoned factories; Olympics meant to buy all this land and regenerate it all.

• Economic Changes: Even though the area beforehand was growing and going well, Olympics cut it off in 2002 and stopped the previous ‘Stratford City’ plan. Olympic park consists of 500 acres of land, 80,000 seat stadium, velodrome and bike BMX Park, 3 pool aquatic entre, Eurostar, Media centre and an Olympic village. Businesses been moved by giving financial help and cut down the size of Olympics, getting rid of the dirty eye-sore buildings.

• Social Changes: More jobs, use of brownfield land, better access, better environment, construction courses giving locals, jobs, right next to the Olympic site. Hopefully 30-50% new affordable housing after the games (sceptical). 

• Environmental Changes: Lea Valley Regional Park as a playground and ‘green lung’ for Londoners, adding in new lock and 3 mills, new sports facilities, extending it, cleaning it up and publicising it. Overhead pylons going underground, re-landscaping some of the land, more public space and even more sports facilities. Olympics going to be a bad pollutant and have large carbon footprint to the land, but they are using recyclable materials, bio-degradable items, and better transport and re-using things. Moving newts wildlife to another area, de-polluting the soil of Cyanide and Mercury by digging it up, cleaning it and putting it back and re-using/recycling all what they find in the process.

   

  Stadium’s Legacy/Legacy:

• West ham agreed to buy the stadium with its running track which can be used while the footballs not on, but the old stadium will be destroyed for housing, leaving it with only 25,000 seats and at…