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• Leith, like many other inner-city areas, has a diverse range of characteristics
• Residentially, there is a mix of old and new styled housing
• There is a high density of buildings, leading to a lack of green/open space
• Tenement housing was originally built for factory workers
• Tower blocks were built in the 1960s to replace the old housing
• Tower blocks were poorly built with problems of damp and mould, linked to respiratory illnesses
• In the 1960s, these areas were closely associated with drug abuse and high crime rates
• There was a declining population as those who could afford to moved away
• The port trade declined, leading to high unemployment
• The decline in port trade also led to the closure of local shops
• Many businesses are boarded up, creating a poor environmental quality