RURAL SETTLEMENTCHANGES AND ISSUES IN

THE UK

Lesson 7

Key factors explaining changes in UK rural areas:

• Improvements in transport• Increased standards of living• Decreased size of households

• Industries and retailing are moving to rural areas…

• Three important factors:

1. Dissatisfaction of urban lifestyles

2. Increase in car ownership

3. Improving technology which allows industries to become ‘footloose’

Those who moved into rural settlements include:- Families who prefer a safer, more pleasant environment- Commuters who prefer living in smaller settlements but

whose jobs elsewhere- Retired people

-Small scale entrepreneurs and self employed who lived in an area they consider offers good quality of life

• Many villages have grown at alarming rates and have lost their original character, form and function. These are often described as dormitory, commuter or suburbanised villages. A good example is the GOWER Village.

OLD GOWER VILLAGE

• House and land price escalate

• Conflict between permanent population and temporary population

• Roads become congested

• Driving is hazardous and there is an increase number of accidents

• Local environment will be deteriorate

• New buildings may not fit into local surroundings such as Swiss-style chalets in Snowdonia

Disadvantages of second homes:

Advantages of second homes:

• Economic development of backward rural areas

• Taxes from second homes helps to support local services

• The competition between second home owners and young people may not as great as generally assumed. Most second home owners require an isolated home without electricity or a bath so that they can renovate it.

IONA - SCOTLAND

IONA - SCOTLAND

• A remote island off west coast of scotland

• Rural communities are experiencing rural depopulation

• 1980s – population fell by 40%

• Severe shortage of jobs – unemployment rates are high

• Difficult to attract young people and migrants to the island

• Traditional industries such as fishing and farming are gradually being eroded

• Iona’s scenario is totally different from Gower Peninsula in Wales which is experiencing Repopulation. The village has seen in-migration of young couples who work outside village.

• Population in Iona is ageing

• Over 40% community is over age of 60 years

• 1999 – there were only 4 children in the island school

• Few facilities

• No high demand for services

Noting activities

• Read case study: Development pressures in Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire (pg 166, Ross)

• Answer question 1 & 2 (Pg 167, Ross)