Cumbria??

• Between 2000 and 2007, 700 agriculture jobs were lost in Cumbria
• In the lake district 15% of houses are second homes or holiday lets but it’s much higher in certain villages such as chapel style where it’s 37%

  this is pushed houses prices right up the average house price in Ambleside is over 400k
• A 5th of the people who live in Cumbria are over 65

  it’s a 6th for the UK overall
• Population has dropped, causing a decrease in services

  for example 35 post offices closed in Cumbria in 2008
• Areas of Population Growth

  • Increased supply of housing in accessible rural areas outside cities
  • Opportunities for farmers and developers to profit from land and house sales
  • Business opportunities increase with more customers and affluent customers in the area
• Challenges of Population Growth

  • Rising house prices can lead to locals being priced out
  • Congested roads increase stress during commutes and cause more damage
  • Overcrowding of services like schools and doctors' surgeries
• Areas of Population Decline

  • Reduction in social sustainability with declining or increasingly elderly population
  • Decline in environmental quality due to lack of maintenance of buildings and spaces
  • Closure of shops and services from lack of customers
• Impacts of Population Decline

  • School closures due to few children in the area, forcing remaining children to travel further
  • Emergence of community spirit
  • Preservation of villages and small communities from modern developments
• North Somerset is close to Bristol with good transport links to airports and the M4 & M5, which is good for commuters
• North Somerset is close to devon, which is an area of outstanding natural beauty, meaning development hasn’t ruined the landscape
• Whilst North Somerset has increased road congestion, the increase in services means that there is a greater demand for public transport and the number of buses has increased by 10%.

  More accessible