stratford case study

• location

  • London Borough of Newham is located in east London, 5 miles east of the City of London and North of the River Thames
  • Stratford is a district within Newham, located towards the north-west border of the borough (Olympic Park is located here)
• locale

  • major multilevel interchange station that is well connected to key London locations through its position on the Tube network
  • Westfield Stratford City opened in 2011, with 350 stores and services. It is the 3rd largest shopping centre in the UK
  • Olympic park and Olympic village
  • wide range of housing - more modern accommodation with high-rise flats in the regenerated west Stratford, whilst more deprived, run-down maisonnettes and terraced housing remains in the north
• endogenous factors

  • TOPOGRAPHY - flat land, located on a flood plain.
  • PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY - River Lea flows near to the Olympic Village in the west and centre of Stratford. The area is mostly urbanised with some green areas
  • LAND USE - regeneration has changed the land use from derelict land to more retail and commercial facilities
  • INFRASTRUCTURE - significant transport hub, well served by bus and train routes.
  • BUILT ENVIRONMENT - 2 shopping centres, offices, modern flats, train station, picture house cinema, Olympic Park, etc
  • DEMOGRAPHICS - ethnically diverse
• exogenous factors

  • MONEY/INVESTMENT - £9 billion of public money was invested into the regeneration of East London
  • resources/materials
  • IDEAS - regeneration schemes, culture and diversity from high levels of immigration
  • PEOPLE - higher tourist numbers due to available retail and commercial facilities, whilst greater job opportunities have brought workers into the area
• history of Stratford

  • first dock built in 1820 - significant transport hub between London and eastern England
  • Stratford railway station opened in 1839
  • new town built in Stratford in mid 1800s to accommodate over 2500 railway workers - 20000 people working in the area by 1860s
  • deindustrialisation and rise in unemployment in the 1900s
  • docks closed in 1980s - 40000 jobs lost
  • work began on Olympic park in 2006, Olympics hosted in 2012
• opinions of Stratford

  • interviews - regeneration has added green spaces but the community culture is lost - higher prices
  • poetry - high levels of knife and gun crime as well as gangs impacts young people
  • depicted as a rundown and violent area in film - Ill Manors
• quotes

  • "no longer feels like the east end"
  • "character that gave Stratford its appeal is disappearing"
  • "undesirables moved out to make way for desirables" - gentrification
• social impacts of regeneration

  • olympic village has affordable housing for 8000 people
  • new school
  • unemployment fell
  • question whether all new housing is affordable
  • few jobs made for locals
  • areas surrounding olympic park remain in poverty
  • social housing had to be demolished for new builds - carpenters estate
• economic impacts of regeneration

  • £17 billion invested in public transport
  • revenue from Olympic venues
  • Olympics made £10 billion for UK economy
  • £8.8 billion spent on regeneration from tax payers money
  • rent and property prices have risen
• environmental impacts of regeneration

  • new green spaces created
  • improved water quality in River Lea
  • Olympic park built on neglected brownfield site
  • wildlife had to be relocated
  • materials used came from overseas
  • Olympics produced 3.3 million tonnes of CO2
• Newham demographics

  • population 330000
  • 40% Christian, 32% Muslim
  • 43% Asian, 17% White
  • 52% male
• economic characteristics

  • 10% unemployment
  • tertiary sector
  • average house price £355k
  • 64% rented housing
  • 17% work in retail
• social characteristics

  • 25th most deprived area in England in 2015, compared to 2nd in 2010
  • 49% good health
  • 26% live alone
  • 28% of children come from low income families