London

• distribution


  the way in which something is spread
• population density

  a measurement of the number of people by the area - calculated by dividing the number of people by the area - usually shown as the number of people per square kilometre

  • sparsely populated = less people
  • densely populated = more people
• London

  located in South East England

  South east of Birmingham

  North west of Dover

  east of Cardiff

  has the River Thames
• London importance - road connections

  • 4 main motorways - M1, M25, M11, M4
  • very connected to the rest of England
• London's importance - travel

  • has over 100000 flights into and out of a day - to abroad
  • has 6 major airports with 396 locations they fly to - 14 in the UK
  • channel tunnel
  • Eurostar - links mainland Europe and the UK
  • close to the Thames Estuary and North Sea - good for trade to Europe and Asia
  • railroad - underground, 12 major train stations , simple travel
• London's importance - culture

  • 300 different languages
  • 14 different religions
  • 40% of worlds foreign equities are traded here - more then New York
  • home to some of the top universities - University College London, Imperial College London
  • 40% of the city is green space, making London the greenest city of its size in the world
• why is London's location important

  • was the 1st city to have an underground system - 1.34 billion passengers a year
  • has approximately 300 theatres, 12000 restaurants, 500 cinemas and 240 museums and galleries
• green belt

  an area of open land around a city on which building is restricted
• greenfield sites

  a plot of land that has not previously been built on
• brownfield site

  a piece of land that has previously been built on
• London's housing crisis

  • London's population is growing (100000 + each year)
  • although the population is growing, only 20000 new houses are built each year
  • this has led to a severe housing shortage in London and South east England
  • this results in housing prices rising rapidly in London compared to anywhere else
  • they rise faster in inner London (centre) then Outer London (surround the centre)
• reasons to build on brownfield sites

  area of previously developed land now have potential to be redeveloped

  land has previously been used for industry where the ground may have been contaminated

  there are many in London due to the decline of manufacturing industry
• redevelopment

  when sites/area's are improved and land use is changed
• contaminated

  land contains chemicals that shouldn't naturally be there
• reasons for building on brownfield sites

  • reduce the need for urban sprawl
  • close to existing facilities and services
  • cheaper to build due to existing infrastructure
  • sites are available since industry declined
  • new development can improve the urban environment
  • cuts commuting and public transport is better in urban area's so reduced need for cars
  • sites aren't left empty and or derelict
• reasons against building on brownfield sites

  • ground may need to be decontaminated - expensive and time consuming
  • resentment and social conflict from those living near by in poor quality housing
  • land more expensive in urban areas
  • close to existing poor housing which makes it hard to sell
  • clear up costs and existing building may need to be demolished first
• reasons to build on greenfield sites

  solve housing shortage

  usually on farmland on the rural-urban fringe

  however building on these sites may lead to urban sprawl
• urban sprawl

  the unplanned expansion of a urban areas into the surrounding countryside
• rural-urban fringe

  a transition zone between the built up areas and the countryside with mixed land use
• reasons for building on greenfield sites

  • easier to sell due to pleasant countryside views
  • doesn't need demolishing or decontaminating so cheaper to prepare
  • housing plots can be larger
  • land is cheaper in rural areas
  • larger garden space
• reasons against building on greenfield sites

  • encourages urban sprawl
  • no existing services/infrastructure - expensive
  • destroys habitats
  • value of farmland and recreation may be lost
  • encourages commuting and therefore pollution
  • public transport is worse so more cars are needed
• should new homes be built on greenbelt

  around many cities there is a greenbelt - land which has strict building controls

  established in 1947 to prevent further unban sprawl - preserves farmland, woodland, parkland

  with more pressure on housing, people are questioning whether the greenbelt is worth it

  as population grows - house prices rise - mor people move to commuter settlement - forces population and house prices around London to rise too - urban sprawl has shifted the commuter settlement outside the greenbelt - Redding and Chelmsford are growing quick - urban development forms new housing estates business parks and encroaches to the surrounding countryside
• commuter settlement


  people live here and then travel to work somewhere else
• migration

  people moving from one place to another
• immigration

  into a country
• emigration

  out of a country
• between 2001 and 2011 - London's population increased by 14% - around 1 million residents

  however the people born in London has decreased by 1% - around 50000 residents

  37% of London's population was born outside the UK
• Top 3 places where people migrate from

  1. India
  2. Poland
  3. Ireland
• top 3 languages spoke in London

  1. Polish
  2. Bengali
  3. Gujarati
• multiculturism

  an issue in many countries with more then one cultures living together in close proximity
• advantages of London's cultural mix

  • enriches huge amounts of area - food and music
  • exposure to religion, languages and political parties
  • multiculturism celebrated - Notting Hill Carnival - shows liberty for those who live in London
• disadvantages for London's Culture mix

  • integration
  • can people converse proper English
  • language barriers
• recreation and entertainment in London

  • tourist attractions - Buckingham Palace
  • West End - shows
  • huge number of cultural attractions - British Museum
  • sporting events - Wimbledon
  • bars, restaurants and street entertainment
  • concerts and cinemas
• employment opportunities

  • London is by far the largest contributor to the economy - 2010 London's Gross value added was over £274 billion - 22% of the UK
  • London houses some of the major world financial centres and a range of business specialisms attract a highly skilled workforce
  • London was responsible for 46% of the total gross value added from financial and insurance activities sector
• transport

  • integrated (linked) transport system
  • 25% of journeys are public transport
  • oyster cards - access all of London's transport
  • cycle network - 1 million Londoner's have a bike but in 2008 only 2% of journeys were on bike
  • trains link to the rest of the UK
  • Eurostar
  • red buses, trains, underground, taxis
• urban greening

  • increase the amount of green space within a city

  How does London provide

  • offering a huge range of green space to public
  • making major new building projects - Olympic
  • creating rooftop green spaces - Great Bar = 700 green roofs covering 17.5 Ha
  • using canals/rivers for water bird breeding
• urban decline

  the deterioration of inner city often caused by lack of investment and maintenance - accompanied by decreasing population and unemployment
• urban deprivation

  a standard of living below that of the majority in a particular society that involves hardships and lack of access to resources

  places suffering = visible differences in housing, economic opportunities
• impacts of urban decline/deprivation

  • boarded up houses
  • unemployment
  • squatters
  • bad education
  • bad healthcare
  • poor quality of life
  • homelessness
  • vandalism
  • pushes people away - place doesn't look nice
• deprivation in London 2007

  most deprived - North/central