This powerpoint explains what counter urbanisation is within Human geography. It uses Headcorn as a case study and puts counter urbanisation into perspective. There are also key facts about Headcorn as a village and goes into details of the causes and effects of counter urbanisation.
2. What is counter-urbanisation?
Movement of urban dwellers and services to
rural-urban fringe or rural areas- differs from
suburbanisation due to clear break from urban
area.
4. Key facts about Headcorn
The population of Headcorn is 3,300
The parish is located on the flood plan on the river Beult
This is to the South East of Maidstone
Headcorn is a thriving community with an attractive high street, a £1.4
million village hall and many public amenities like pubs.
5. Headcorn is a Suburbanised village
Original village core
Old housing areas
Ribbon development housing
Infilling on green spacing for housing estates
Individual property renovations
6. The causes of counter-urbanisation in
Headcorn
There is a variety of businesses including many shops that offer an array of
services
Many clubs and societies operate in the village hall
There is a popular farmers market
A farmers market is one where farmers and growers sell their products to
consumers directly
There is a local primary school and good links into Maidstone
There are also strong transport links into London and Ashford Int’l
It is a traditional, attractive village with ‘Kentish charm’.
9. The effects of counter urbanisation in
Headcorn
More upmarket retailers and servicers moved into the High Street
It adopted the suburbanised village layout and development process
House prices have trebled in the last 10 years (£114,000 in 2000 to £400,000 in
2011)
Rail services have increased
There is an influx of wealthy, middle class families
One section of community is ageing with an outmigration of young, working
ages
25% of the community commutes to London
Growing disparity in wealth
Pressure on new housing developments
10. “Headcorn matters”: Key points
Too many houses were proposed, the village wants fewer than 250
Sites too big and unsustainable, village wants individual developments to
be no more than 30 houses
Don’t want predetermined sites, village wants to determine where
development goes via Neighbourhood Plan
Wrong infrastructure priorities, sewage and parking are more important
than signage and station upgrades
Maidstone borough council needs to work with local communities
particularly in rural areas, to understand priorities
Also, the MBC evidence is poor and needs improving (particularly on the
number of houses needed)
11. Headcorn’s Neighbourhood plan
Headcorn created a 100 page document setting out the details for
proposed policies in Headcorn.
This was put in place to shape the future of Headcorn Parish from now
until 2031.
12. Summary of Headcorn’s
neighbourhood plan
They want to maintain a sense of being a country village, with a strong
local community
Support a vibrant local economy, based around the high street, leisure
tourism
Ensure that there is a robust framework governing development in the
countryside around Headcorn that will support both local needs and the
benefits villagers receive from being surrounded by a beautiful countryside
Ensure development in the Parish is managed in a way that is well
designed; promotes small scale development; is sustainable; is capable of
meeting the needs of local residents in different age groups and family
units; and is keeping with the village setting.
13. Headcorn’s vision
“Our vision is for Headcorn to continue to thrive as a friendly, rural village
community with a strong local economy…”