1. What are the issues for people
living in urban areas in richer parts
of the world?
References
AQA A pg 198 – 199 B&P pg 160 CGP pg 87

2. Lesson Objectives
• All will understand the
range and nature of
problems in urban areas in
richer countries.
• Most will understand what
strategies have been
introduced to deal with the
first of these problems.
• Some will be able to justify
their solution to this
problem.

3. What’s the problem?
Use the photos and your own knowledge
of Birmingham’s problems to come up
with a list of the issues that affect
urban areas.

9. Many urban areas face the same
problems:
1. A shortage of
good quality
housing
2. Run down CBDs
3. Traffic
congestion and
pollution
4. Multicultural
Mix -
segregation

10. Issue 1: Housing
Population in the UK has increased by 7%
since 1971. Over the same period, the
number of households has risen by 30%.
This increase in the number of households
is due to the number of people who now are
living alone.
1. People are now leaving home to rent
2. buy younger than previously
3. marrying later
4. getting divorced
5. living longer.
Consequently, there is a real shortage of
housing in England, particularly in the
South East. With more and more people
trying to get a home, prices have escalated
so many young people can no longer get
onto the property ladder. The government
as set a target of building 240,000 new
houses every year by 2016 so that supply
meets this ever increasing demand.

11. Housing
The UK is facing a housing crisis as the demand for
homes continues to exceed supply.
Reasons:
1950 now
The total population is increasing 50 million >60 million
The total households are rising 15 million 25 million
More people live alone 10% 1 adult 30% 1 adult

12. Key Terms
• Household
A person living alone, or two or more people living at the
same address, sharing a sitting room.
• Brownfield sites
Land that has been built on before and is to be cleared and
reused. These sites are often in the inner city.
• Greenfield sites
Land that has not been built on before, usually in the
countryside on the edge of the built-up area.

13. How can the government tackle the
housing shortage?
Urban renewal schemes
Used widely in 1990’s.
Encourage investment in new housing,
services and employment in derelict
inner city areas
e.g. London Docklands development.
Derelict docks (brownfield sites)
were converted into high quality
housing with good local services
Liverpool Docks, Cardiff Bay
New Towns
Brand new towns were built to house the
overspill populations from existing towns
and cities where there was a shortage of
housing.
e.g. Milton Keynes – started in 1970
Redditch
Relocation incentives
Used to encourage people living
in large council houses (who
don’t need a big house or to
live in the city) to move out of
urban areas
e.g. A London council
encourages older people who
live in big houses near the city
to move to the seaside or
countryside. The council helps
the people who volunteer and
provides some financial
incentive

14. The need for housing is not equal throughout the UK – more houses are
needed in London and around SE England
Government policy is to use brownfield sites where possible to save the
countryside from further urban sprawl (why?)
Inner city areas have a large supply of brownfield sites. Some of the
largest spaces are to be found in abandoned dockland and industrial
areas. Here former warehouses can be converted into modern
apartments. The environment around the area is cleaned up and
landscaped. Wealthy people then tend to move back into areas of
former decay = gentrification
Some unused brownfield sites such as buildings of historical interest
can also be renovated and used for luxury flats and up market hotels
e.g., St Pancras railway station, the Rotunda in B’ham.
Dilemma – where to build brownfield
or greenfield?

15. Your task …
Draw a table to show the advantages of building on
brownfield and greenfield sites (AQA A pg 199)
Brownfield sites Greenfield sites
Easier to get planning permission
as councils want to see brownfield
sites used
New sites do not need clearing so
can be cheaper to prepare
sites in cities are not left derelict
and / or empty
No restrictions of existing road
network
Utilities such as water and
electricity are already provided
Some shops and business parks on
outskirts provide local facilities
Roads exist Land cheaper on outskirts so plots
can be larger
Cuts commuting costs
Near to facilities in city centre –
shops, work, entertainment
More space for gardens

16. Your task…
1. Why is there a housing problem in the UK? (why is the demand
for housing likely to increase significantly in the next few
years?)
2. Where is this problem greatest?
3. What is a ‘brownfield site’?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of building new
houses on a brownfield site?
5. What is a greenfield site?
6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of greenfield
sites?
7. Name examples in the Birmingham / Solihull area of both
brownfield and greenfield development sites
8. What has been the local reaction to such developments?
9. Which is more sustainable – brownfield or greenfield sites?
Explain your choice.

17. Debate
You’ll be allocated to argue either for building the new homes in
Dorridge or in Digbeth. In your group, come up with a set of arguments
to support your choice.
As you come up with your arguments copy and fill in the table on the
next slide. You’ll then need to fill in the opposite side during the debate.
Should 8000 new homes in the West
Midlands be built on a greenfield site on
the edge of Dorridge or on a brownfield
site in Digbeth?

18. Advantages of building
in Digbeth
(a brownfield site)
Advantages of building
in Dorridge
(a greenfield site)

19. Your Opinion
• Write a paragraph explaining and
justifying your opinion.

20. Lesson Objectives
• All will understand the range
and nature of problems in
urban areas in richer
countries.
• Most will understand what
strategies have been
introduced to deal with the
first of these problems.
• Some will be able to justify
their solution to this problem.