Functions & Structure of London (Edexcel GCSE Geography A): Revision Note

Site & Situation of London

• Located in south-east England, London is the capital city of United Kingdom

• Sited within a green belt of open land and ringed by the M25 motorway

• Referred to as Greater London, it is made up of 32 boroughs and 1 district and is separated into: 

  • Central London: the City of London district, most of Westminster borough, and inner Camden

  • Inner London: 12 of the richest boroughs, including Kensington, Chelsea, Southwark and Westminster

  • Outer London: the remaining 20 boroughs form a ring around Inner London. Its total area and population are the largest and include Dagenham, Brent, Hounslow and Croydon

• It has easy access to Europe and the rest of the world via trains, airports, ports and ferries

• Its location between the international time zones of USA (5+ hours behind) and Southeast Asia (5+ hours ahead) makes it ideal for people working internationally

  

Location of London

London's Importance

Cultural context

• London is one of the most diverse cities in the world

  • 1.37 million London residents were born in Europe outside the UK

  • 1.15 million people were born in the Middle East and Asia

  • 1.06 million in the rest of the world, including Africa, the Americas and Oceania

• The top non-UK country of birth was India, with 323,000 London residents

• Over 300 languages are spoken in London

• Over 44% of Londoners are from minority ethnic groups

Environmental context

• London is one of the leading cities for parks, with an estimated 3,000 parks covering 20% of London

• It also has a network of canals, reservoirs, and riversides

• Almost 50% of London is covered in green or blue spaces, including trees, green roofs, road verges and private gardens 

• In July 2019, London was declared the world’s first National Park City

London's Structure, Functions & Building Age

Land use pattern

• London is a polycentric city which has developed from multiple areas that have merged over time

• Making not one but several core centres

  • The oldest part is the Central Business District (CBD)

  • Inhabited since Roman times, it functions purely as a financial and trade district

  • Known as the 'Square Mile' or 'The City'

• Westminster has the royal courts and administration

• The West End is the main retail and theatre district

• These three areas would make the tradition CBD

Comparison of Land-Use Models

Harris and Ullman	Hoyt	Burgess
More complex model involving the development of urban areas around pre-existing villages. The CBD is no longer the only core centre The increase in road use fractures the core into multiple, but smaller, 'nodes' Uses attract each other - high income residential, retail and industry Reflects modern city development and car use Allows for changes in land use over time	Based on Burgess but allows for development along corridors of communication e.g. road, rail etc.  There are areas of high-class housing radiating out from the CBD  Working-class housing is located in the east (downwind of the industries) around the docks With distance from the CBD, air quality and traffic improve, and population density decreases Allows for some changes in land use and development	Cities follow concentric circles of development from the centre outwards within zones The CBD is located in the centre of the settlement  House age decreases with distance from the CBD The city becomes more suburban with distance from the CBD The further away from the CBD, the higher the income and the lower the population density Social stratification: rich and poor live separately Land change and development is restricted

• London does not fit into any one model exactly, but has aspects of all three models

  • Many of the inner-city housing areas were demolished in the 1960s

  • London effectively has several CBDs, which includes the extended financial centre in Canary Wharf

  • The docklands area has been redeveloped to support business and housing

  • High-class housing is on the west side of London (upwind of the industrial areas), such as Kensington 

CBD/CAZ

• Because of its multiple CBD, London's core is referred to as the ‘Central Activities Zone’ (CAZ)

• CAZ has core activities and businesses, including law, international finance and business, education, and world-renowned retail and leisure functions

• Old and high-rise buildings are found within the CAZ

• The radial roads mean that accessibility is good, with train and bus routes meeting here

• To maximise space and reduce costs, high-rise buildings have increased 

• High-street chain stores are located throughout

• A prominent centre of culture, including theatres, restaurants, museums and cinemas

• Traffic is reduced due to pedestrianisation and zoning 

• The area employs 1.7 million people and is also home to around 250,000 residents 

The CBD/CAZ of London fits more with the multiple-nuclei land-use model

Inner city

• Outside the CBD, the inner city area consists of:

  • Terraced housing: such as housing around the dock areas

  • Old factories, warehouses and dock areas, many of which have now been converted and regenerated,

  • Blocks of flats have replaced terrace housing in many areas

• There are some high-income areas, such as Kensington, to the west of the city

Suburbs

• Housing size increases in these areas 

• Houses are newer, often inter-war (1920s/30s)

• Attractive to families 

• The expansion of the underground system allowed people to live further from the city

• Smaller shops 

• Lower population density

• Areas such as Wimbledon and Tooting 

Urban/rural fringe

• Building and population density are lower

• Housing here was built in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s

• Increasingly, industry, retail, and businesses are moving to these areas due to:

  • Cheaper land

  • More space

  • Nicer environment

  • Better accessibility next to M25: Thurrock Shopping Park, Watford Business Park

• Areas such as Boreham Wood and Orpington are in this location