Strategies used to manage urban growth (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography): Revision Note

Strategies used to manage urban growth

• Cities manage urban growth with plans that focus on sustainable development in an economic, social and environmental way

• Smart urban planning includes:

  • Encouraging the use of public transport

  • Supporting mixed-use development

  • Green infrastructure

  • Community involvement

Housing strategies

Top-down housing schemes

• These are large-scale, centralised government-led or private-sector projects to replace informal settlements

• The projects often involve the demolition and rebuilding of housing

• These plans focus on making things more efficient by

  • Using standard designs and construction processes

  • Large-scale infrastructure improvements

• However, there is limited or no community involvement in the planning process

• Economic growth attracts investment and creates jobs in the construction sector

• There are social improvements in living conditions but many people are displaced and communities broken up

• There are environmental improvements in sanitation; however, the construction process increases pollution

Bottom-up housing schemes

• These are community-led projects, often supported by Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

• They are seen as a fair and effective way to deal with housing problems, especially in places where there are specific needs or restrictions

• The focus is on improving existing homes, helping with affordability, supply of land and infrastructure

• Homes are usually upgraded with added sewage systems and added street lighting

  • There is an economic boost as training and local employment is provided

  • Local communities are empowered to shape their own housing solutions, building deeper social connections

  • A cleaner environment and better sanitation

Self-help schemes

• Local communities work together, often with organisation support, to improve or build their own homes to enhance living conditions

• Self-help housing can range from informal community ventures to official social enterprises and residents build or improve their own homes with provided materials or microloans

• Economic benefits include cost-effectiveness for governments and the development of local skills

• Social: It empowers communities and increases stability; new skills are passed on to other residents

• Environmental: Residents invest in long-term upkeep of their community

Transport management

• The goal of urban transport management schemes is to make city transportation more efficient and effective

• These schemes usually focus on:

  • lowering traffic

  • improving public transportation

  • encouraging environmentally friendly ways to travel

• These schemes can include different strategies, such as

  • Promoting eco-friendly transport such as walking and cycling

  • Improving public transport systems

  • Managing traffic flows through congestion charges, park and ride schemes, dedicated lanes for buses, carpooling, taxis, etc.

• Congestion charges: Drivers pay to enter central zones during peak hours

  • Economic: Revenue is used to fund public transport

  • Social: Reduces traffic accidents and stress from congestion delays

  • Environmental: Cuts air pollution and CO₂ emissions

• Park and ride schemes:

  These schemes provide parking at the edge of a city and offer public transport into the centre

  • Economic: Saves motorists money by reducing petrol use

  • Social: Can reduce commuting times and improves accessibility to urban centre

  • Environmental: Reduces number of vehicles on the road and improves air quality

• BRT system (Bus Rapid Transit): These are fast, efficient bus lanes with pre-pay boarding stations

  • Economic: Affordable transport boosts productivity

  • Social: Reduces commute time and improves accessibility

  • Environmental: Encourages public transport over cars

Development of green spaces

• A 'green infrastructure' is a network of natural and man-made green spaces that benefits people and the environment

• This includes forests, parks, street trees, green roofs and walls, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and 'blue infrastructure' like rivers and marshes

• Green infrastructure is a system that provides environmental benefits, including:

  • Controlling water flow

  • Reducing air and water pollution

  • Reducing urban heat islands

  • Providing habitat for wildlife

• Socially, green infrastructure increases quality of life by:

  • Making leisure activities easier

  • Boosting physical and mental health

  • Giving people a feeling of belonging

• The improved surroundings boost tourism, housing values, and long-term economic growth.

Effectiveness of strategies used to manage urban growth

Housing strategies

Top-down housing scheme – Vision Mumbai, India

• This is a US$40 billion investment partnership between the Indian government, property companies and investors to improve Mumbai by 2050

• One target was to build one million low cost homes to reduce Mumbai's informal settlements

• The Dhavari informal settlement would be demolished

  • The settlement is located next to Mumbai’s financial district, which makes it worth $10 billion

  • Developers hoped to buy the land at a discount and then redevelop it for a profit

  • In return they would build high-rise blocks for people living in the informal settlement next to shopping centres, offices and luxury apartments

• Advantages:

  • Over 200,000 people were moved, and 45,000 homes demolished in Dharavi

  • New flats were built to replace the informal settlement

  • Piped water and sewerage systems were established for new flats

• Disadvantages:

  • Costs were high and there were accusations of corruption

  • Many residents believe that ‘Vision Mumbai’ benefits only the rich and powerful

  • It ignored the specific needs of low-income families

  • The new 14-storey apartment blocks have split communities

  • Rents cost more than in the slums

  • Small workshops had to move or go out of business, affecting Mumbai’s recycling industry

Bottom-up housing scheme – Favela Bairro Project, Brazil

• This was a community-led improvement project with support from NGOs and local authorities

• Around 1000 favelas in and around the city are home to more than 20% of the population, which are mostly located on unsuitable land on the edge of the city

• Many of Rio's favelas are well-established despite people having no rights to the land they live on

• Advantages:

  • The strategy is recognised by the UN and is used in many other Brazilian cities

  • Reduces overcrowding in surrounding favelas

  • Prevents young people getting involved in crime

  • The cable car system connects the rich and the poorer parts, helping to prevent differentiation in areas

  • Public lighting was added and pavements were widened

  • Improved build quality has prevented many landslides from happening

  Disadvantages:

  • Improvements are gradual and depend on funding – the $1 billion will not be enough for every favela

  • The project may not meet growing population needs

  • There is still a lack of formal property ownership in some cases

  • Rents will increase in certain areas due to the improvement, meaning many people will have to move to another favela

Self-help scheme – São Paulo, Brazil

• Local residents are provided with building materials like concrete blocks and cement to replace home-made shelters with permanent homes

• These are often three or four storeys high, with water, electricity and sewage systems installed

  Advantages:

  • The program is low-cost for the government

  • This program builds practical skills among residents

  • People design homes that are suited to their needs

  Disadvantages:

  • The quality of building varies depending on the skill level

  • There may still be a lack of formal infrastructure, including roads and waste management

  • It is both time-consuming and physically demanding

Transport management

London congestion charge

• Drivers pay a fee to enter central London during peak hours

• Advantages:

  • Reduces traffic and journey times

  • Generates revenue for public transport

  • Encourages walking, cycling, and use of buses/trains

• Disadvantages:

  • Unfair to low-income drivers who can’t afford the charge

  • Businesses may lose car-using customers

  • Can shift traffic problems to nearby areas

La Paz, Bolivia – cable cars

• The aerial cable car system reduces the use of cars in hilly areas

  • Economic: Cheap fares help low-income commuters

  • Social: It connects remote areas to city centre services

  • Environmental: Powered by electricity – low emissions

• Advantages:

  • Affordable and accessible to poor hillside communities

  • Fast and reliable

  • Electric-powered – minimal emissions

  • Avoids road congestion

  Disadvantages:

  • High initial setup costs

  • Limited routes and coverage

  • Weather-dependent operation

Curitiba, Brazil – BRT system (Bus Rapid Transit)

• Curitiba was the first city in Brazil to have a dedicated bus lane

• Over 80% of travellers use the BRT system and no one lives more than 400 metres from the bus stop

• The bus fare is the same wherever you go and you can travel all day on one fare

• Passengers can recycle plastic and glass bottles to pay for a bus fare

• Advantages:

  • Fast and punctual service

  • It is cheaper than building a rail system

  • Popular and widely used

• Disadvantages:

  • Can still suffer delays without strict lane enforcement

  • Needs ongoing investment for maintenance

  • Overcrowding at peak time

Development of green spaces

Green roofs in Mexico City

• Vegetation is planted on rooftops to reduce air pollution and increase food supplies

• Advantages:

  • Insulates buildings, reducing cooling costs

  • Absorbs rainwater and lowers flood risk

  • Provides habitats for plants and animals

  • Promotes biodiversity in urban areas

  • The roofs produce oxygen and filter CO₂

• Disadvantages:

  • Costly to install and maintain

  • Not suitable for all buildings due to the weight of the system

  • Limited public access or use

  • Proper waterproofing and installation are needed to stop damage to the building structures

Singapore – 'City in a garden'

• The concept was to integrate nature into urban planning by building vertical gardens, sky parks, and nature reserves

• Advantages:

  • Enhances public health and well-being

  • Attracts eco-tourism and business

  • Improves urban biodiversity

  • Green spaces reduce

    • The urban heat island effect

    • Improve air quality

    • Helps prevent flooding by absorbing rainfall

  • Supports climate adaptation and wildlife

  • Boosts Singapore's image and economy via green branding

• Disadvantages:

  • Significant financial investment and resources, such as land, labour, and specialised knowledge, are needed for the massive greening initiatives

  • Can be seen as 'greenwashing' without real ecological benefit

  • Competes with space for housing

  • Singapore, is a small, densely populated island and green spaces compete with urban growth and development