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.

1. Counter Urbanisation
PRAAG, ADAM AND HARRISON

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.

3. Counter urbanisation
CITIES SUBURBAN
VILLAGES

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’.

7. Farmers market
Strong links to Maidstone
and Ashford International
Kentish charm
Headcorn Primary school

8. £1.4 million renovation

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…”

14. Any questions?