Classnotes: 23rd February: City Challenge
The first part of today's lesson was about Ipswich, looking at how the land use has changed in the city. If you need more details, ask Mr Burdett for a copy of the Geoactive that we used. All the notes are in that.
The second half of the lesson was about the inner city challenge in Westcotes Ward in Leicester.
City Challenge Scheme
- Started in 1991
- Government cash available for councils...
- ...who want to improve an urban area
The key word is regeneration - this means the area needed to become better in terms of housing, facilities, education, crime etc.
Why Westcotes?
Westcotes was a struggling inner city area. Look at these facts - would you want to live there?
- large proportion of people with no central heating
- mostly poor quality terraced housing
- large number of students (remember students usually live in the poorer areas of a city to save money)
What was the plan?- create 2065 new jobs
- build or improve 1425 homes
- start 130 new businesses
- reduce crime
- develop community services
- improve facilities
What has happened?
They bid for the money in 1993. By 1998 they had:
- 3000 jobs created
- 4000 houses improved or built
- 250 businesses set up
- street lighting increased = less crime
- free locks provided for peoople = less crime
- five pocket parks (small parks designed to be used by just a few houses in the area, rather than large parks in the middle of the whole area)
- lunchtime club facilities for under privileged groups - elderly Asians, young parents etc.
So what? How can I use this in an exam?
This year paper 3 and 4 will be about People and Place. You won't need to know case studies - but you will need to know all about how these projects make things sustainable and how different groups of people are affected.
For example:
Group: elderly Asians
Feature of plan: lunchtime clubs
So what: elderly Asians are more likely to struggle in an area like Westcotes. They may not have good language skills, and may feel isolated from the wider community so... Lunchtime clubs improve quality of life
Or
Group: Leicester University Students
Feature of plan: Improve housing
Effect: Improved housing so... improved quality of life
Or
Group: Business groups
Feature: Open new businesses
Effect: Westcotes has more businesses (providing good employment opportunities for the local people) so... more people want to come to Westcotes and stay there so... more customers for businesses so... more profit so... increased standard of living and quality of life.
Need more help? See Mr Burdett on Wednesday lunchtime in H5.
