Urban sprawl (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography): Revision Note

The impact of urban sprawl on the rural-urban fringe

• 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

• Relatively cheap and 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