Urban sprawl (Cambridge International IGCSE Geography)

Specification link

This page covers 7.2.3 of the CIE IGCSE specification.

• 7.2.3- The impact of urban sprawl on the rural-urban fringe surrounding areas.

The impact of urban sprawl on the rural-urban fringe

Spec point — The impact of urban sprawl on the rural-urban fringe/surrounding areas.

• As towns grow, they expand outwards through a process known as **suburbanisation, **where people move from the city centre outwards

• The outer edges of a city is the** rural-urban fringe** or urban fringe

• Growth at the urban fringe is due to population growth, lack of space and spiralling land costs

• If this urban growth is left unchecked, it leads to urban sprawl

• Many services are now located at the urban fringe:

  • major hospitals
  • superstores
  • specialist manufacturing, etc.

• This can be beneficial to rural communities who are more able to access these services, but long-term issues include

  • Loss of trade within the city centre, leading to closures
  • Loss of rural way of life and character of the countryside
  • Creates impermeable surfaces and surface run-off, which increases the flood risk in urban areas
  • Loss of traditional 'green spaces' where school fields, parks, etc.are being built on
  • Higher emissions due to car dependency (people have to commute further and increased traffic)
  • Higher costs for public transport and social facilities (local governments have to spread out their budgets further), which further impacts healthcare, fire and policing facilities

• This means two choices: either build on a greenfield or brownfield site

• With all land uses, there are arguments for and against each type of site

Brownfields

Advantages

• Helps revive old and disused urban areas
• Reduces the loss of countryside for agricultural or recreational use
• Services such as water, electricity, and sewage are already in place
• The property is located near main areas of employment
• Reduces the risk of squatter settlements developing

Disadvantages

• Often more expensive because old buildings must be cleared, and land made free of pollution
• Often surrounded by rundown areas, does not appeal to more wealthy people
• Higher levels of pollution

Greenfields

Advantages

• Healthier environment
• Close to the countryside, leisure, and recreation
• The layout is not restricted by the existing layout
• Land is usually cheaper to buy and develop
• The rate of house building is faster
• Access and infrastructure easier to build

Disadvantages

• Valuable farmland lost
• Encourages further suburban sprawl
• Wildlife and habitats lost or disturbed
• Recreational space and attractive scenery lost
• Lacks access to public transport
• Development causes noise and light pollution in the surrounding countryside
• Cost of installing services such as water, electricity, sewage, etc.

Evaluation

• There are no clear winners in this debate

• It depends on the particular land use:

  • Housing is flexible in terms of where it could be built, but shops and offices need more space and specific locations
  • Depends on the needs of the town or city
  • What is the actual value of the green space in a town or city?
  • The issues and costs in reusing the brownfield site (asbestos, etc.) need to be considered

Worked Example **Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of developing greenfield sites. [4 marks]

• 1 mark for the initial explanation
• 1 mark for development through further explanation or exemplification

Final answer: Possible Answer:

• Advantage: Greenfield sites are often flat and uncontaminated** [1], which makes it cheaper to develop the land compared to the clearing cost of brownfield sites. [1]
• Disadvantage: Developing on permeable surfaces will increase surface run-off [1], which increases urban flood risk in an area. [1]