Changing land use in Urban areas

LO:I understand what Greenfield and Brownfield sites are

I can explain the consequences of building more housingI can evaluate different solutions to housing problems

StarterWhat do these diagrams show? What questions do you think could be asked

about them in the exam?

3 hours 26 minutes to build a house - a possible solution to house shortages?

Why is there an increasing demand for housing in places such as the UK?

Why is there a housing shortage in places such as the UK?

Causes:• Increase in population between 2001 and

2007 from 58.8 million to 60.9 million• More households• Increased personal wealthConsequences:• By 2020 3 million more dwellings will be

needed

Using tomorrow’s geography p174-175

• Make notes on the social, economic and political reasons for changing land use in Urban areas

• Read the article ‘England running out of new homes’ and answer the questions on the worksheet

Exam question from 2014 paper

Mark scheme

Student marked example

Where can we build these new houses?

Greenfield v Brownfield site….

V

Brownfield- A site that has been built on before. Normally associated with urban areas.Greenfield- Sites that have not been built on before. Often rural / countryside areas.

As a decision maker you are faced with two options:1. Develop existing Brownfield sites2. Develop new Greenfield sites

Complete the worksheet to find out the positives and negatives of brownfield and greenfield sites

Explain the advantages of developing Brownfield sites (3)

Explain the advantages of developing Brownfield sites

• 3)(a) The photograph opposite shows a site that has suffered from the effects of deindustrialisation. Draw a quick sketch of the scene and annotate it with comments about the current image of the area.

• (b) Summarise the arguments for and against the use of brownfield sites such as this.

• (c) If you were a town planner, what ideas could you come up with to improve the land use and appearance of this site in order to attract modern economic activity back to the area?

•

Solutions to housing problems

• 6) List all the constraints you can think of when planning where to build the new housing that the UK needs.

• 7)How is the land use in an urban area near you changing? Is this change involving greenfield or brownfield sites?

Solution 1: new housing estates in urban fringe

1. What is the advantage of locating here?2. What are the problems of locating here?3. What is suburban sprawl and what are the

problems of it?

Use page 194 of textbook to help you answer these questions

1. Expanding the outer suburbs = urban sprawl

Advs Near the countryside for leisure, plenty of space, not too far to

commute to CBD for work, the construction out of town shopping centres means that there are often plentiful services nearby.

DisadvsInvolves building on greenfield sites which means the loss of

countryside e.g. for leisure purposes/habitats for animals.Results in high dependence of the car to move around the

sprawl e.g. for shopping, schools and to get to the commuter train.

Solution 2: New towns (eco towns)Greenfield site on edge of town

A new town, is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area.

Eco-towns(a) In what ways can eco-towns be said to be environmentally

friendly?(b) In what way could they be described as ‘socially friendly’?(c) What consideration appears to have been neglected in the

planning of these new eco-towns and how do you think this could be remedied?

Use page 195 textbook

Eco-Bicester

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_IpG7Ntjlg

Watch the video on Eco Biscter.

Make notes on how it is planned to be sustainable.

Extension: Explain how the way in which the town is designed links to the concept of sustainable development.

Features of Eco-Bicester:• A mix of housing, including affordable housing, housing accessible to

those with impaired mobility, high-end housing to attract managers• Supporting improved energy efficiency of homes to reduce carbon

emissions• Increased water efficiency and reduced water use• Seek local jobs to reduce out commutingsignificantly• Walking, cycling and public transport will be promoted through

working with ne and existing businesses to prepare and implement green travel plans

• Provide multi functional green infrastructure incorporating footpaths and cycle paths, sports and recreational space, play, ecological enhancement,

2. Build housing in the commuter belt of cities e.g. by expanding smaller towns/cities

Advs Attractive environment for residents, could help rural services to

keep going, eco-towns have been proposed which have been planned to environmentally friendly e.g. car free/use of recycled materials.

Disadvs – Increased journey time to work means more pollution. Involves

building on greenfield sites so countryside is lost. Rural roads more congested. Character of villages lost. Eco-town planners have said little about how employment will be provided – without this they are unlikely to be car free.

Summary – housing shortages in the UK

• What are the reasons for housing shortages in the UK?

• What are the solutions?

Reasons

SocialHigher divorce ratesAgeing populationLater marriagesEconomicHigher salaries 100% mortgagesPoliticalThere is more need to buy housing in certain areas – especially the

home counties i.e. the counties surrounding London and in Thames Gateway – an area of London that contains many brownfield sites that are being rapidly regenerated.

Option 3: Build on Brownfield sites

3. Redevelopment of inner city brownfield sites

Advs – derelict land is cleared up, people are close to services in the CBD, journey to work is short, utilities and infrastructure may already be in existence.

Disadvs – concerns about public security, lack of green space, less room, increased traffic in the inner city if not well managed.

4. Suburban intensification

Building on vacant plots in the suburbsAdvs – Could redevelop disused/underused land in the

suburbs – meaning space is not wasted. Infrastructure and utilities already available. People can sell off land for a profit e.g. sections of their garden.

Disadv – Counts as brownfield development, however, it often involves the loss of green spaces in the suburbs. Less green spaces mean fewer areas for recreation and it can have an impact on the ecology of the area.

What are the positives and negatives of gated communities?

Solutions – where to build the new housing?

1. Expanding the outer suburbs = urban sprawl (greenfield development)

2. Build housing in the commuter belt of cities e.g. by expanding smaller towns/cities or building new towns (greenfield development)

3. Build on brownfield sites in the inner city

4. Suburban intensification e.g. garden grabbing (brownfield)

(a) Make a larger copy of the diagram (b) Put the following labels in their correct position: Suburbs, Urban fringe, Inner city, Commuter belt. (c) Add the following labels to the area where you would be most likely to find them: An area suffering from suburban sprawl, A new housing estate built near to open countryside, A commuter village or dormitory town, An eco-town, A gated community in the inner city, An example of ‘garden grabbing’.

Garden grabbing: building of new homes in back gardens

Summary

A major thing to consider when trying to satisfy the demand for new housing is the location and type of site on which new homes are to be built. New housing can be built on greenfield sites – this involves converting previously un-used land into housing e.g. by expanding villages in the commuter belt of larger cities. Another option is to build on brownfield sites which means redeveloping an existing site, for instance a dis-used industrial site in an inner city area.