Simple and printable summary of this case study for new AQA 1 to 9 GCSE geography

1. Birmingham: urban change = opportunities & challenges
AQA spec:
● the location and importance of the city in the UK and the wider world
● impacts of national and international migration on the growth and character of the city
● how urban change has created opportunities:
1. social and economic: cultural mix, recreation and entertainment, employment, integrated
transport systems
2. environmental: urban greening
● how urban change has created challenges:
1. social and economic: urban deprivation, inequalities in housing, education, health and
employment
2. environmental: dereliction, building on brownfield and greenfield sites, waste disposal
3. the impact of urban sprawl on the rural–urban fringe, and the growth of commuter settlements.

2. Birmingham: urban change = opportunities & challenges
● the location and importance of the city in the UK and the wider world
● impacts of national and international migration on the growth and character of the city
Location & importance
● Centre of the country, focus of more motorways than any other place
● Historic centre of manufacturing → pull for migrants e.g.
● Top 15 “Best Cities in Europe to do business”; 31,000 business.
● £13 bn investment in infrastructure development
● Range of businesses within secondary & tertiary inc. Jaguar, EON, Deutsche
Bank + SME
● TRANSPORT - Fast rail to London from New Street STation + international
airport hub + motorways
Impacts of national & international migration
● 1.1 million from 187 countries - “Youngest age profile of any city in Europe”
● Migrant Wave #1 - rural areas → facotry jobs
● Migrant Wave #2 - WWII Polish & Jewish
● Migrant Wave #3 - post WWII Commonwealth migration e.g. India, Pakistan
● Migrant Wave #4 - 2004 onwards EU eastern Europeans

3. Birmingham: urban change = opportunities & challenges
● how urban change has created opportunities:
1. social and economic: cultural mix, recreation and entertainment, employment, integrated transport systems
2. environmental: urban greening
Social
● Ethnic & cultural diversity allows people to experience
different religions and foods, e.g. Balti Triangle [curry], St
Paul's Square [live music], Birmingham Royal Ballet, City of
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra = culturally rich social life
● 5 Universities → over 65,000 students.
Economic -
● Bullring shopping centre = 140 shops generating employment
and income for the local economy → local multiplier effect
● Brindley Place = leisure & office = bars, retail, offices and
entertainment facilities→ local multiplier effect
Environmental - “Birmingham’s Green Vision”
● Canals in Birmingham have been cleaned up. The towpaths
have been upgraded to encourage people to walk and cycle
along the canals
● Eastside City Park is a new park developed to ↑ the amount
of green space.
● “Birmingham Connected”- Traffic has been managed by
creating a park and ride scheme, encouraging the use of
buses and the Birmingham Metro tramline. = integrated
transport system

4. Birmingham: urban change = opportunities & challenges
● how urban change has created challenges:
1. social and economic: urban deprivation, inequalities in housing, education, health and employment
2. environmental: dereliction, building on brownfield and greenfield sites, waste disposal
3. the impact of urban sprawl on the rural–urban fringe, and the growth of commuter settlements.
Social and economic challenges
● Urban decline - competition from abroad → most of
Birmingham's manufacturing industry has now gone. This
has led to urban decline as manufacturing buildings were
left empty and became derelict.
● Deprivation - high unemployment → parts of Birmingham
experienced a spiral of social and economic decline →
deprivation.
● Inequalities in housing - pressures on housing - not
enough good quality and affordable housing for people in
the city.
● Education - quality of education poor in inner city areas
such as Aston.
○ Aston is an area of deprivation with an ethnically
diverse community → children struggled to access
and succeed in education.
● Health - in Aston, people with poorer English language
skills found it difficult to access healthcare facilities.
Environmental challenges
● Dereliction - derelict buildings common in inner city
areas.
● Building on greenfield sites - results in the loss of
more green space → make urban sprawl worse.
● Building on brownfield sites - improve a derelict
site as the space is reused for a new development.
● Waste disposal - a lot of household and commercial
waste which creates challenges for how to manage the
disposal
● Atmospheric pollution - there are more vehicles on
the road → leading to atmospheric pollution.

5. ● how urban change has created challenges:
3. the impact of urban sprawl on the rural–urban fringe, and the growth of commuter settlements.
Birmingham: urban change = opportunities & challenges
Demands on the rural-urban fringe around Birmingham:
● Transport links - including HS2
● Suburbs and Commuter settlements
● Edge of Town developments - leisure & retail e.g.
NEC
● Farm building functions - workshops & start ups e.g.
Shenstone
Since 2000 = 40,000+ people migrated from centre to
suburbs & commuter settlements;
200,000 daily commutes into Birmingham from places such
as Lichfield, Sutton Coldfield, Sandwell and Dudley
→↑ congestion with economic, environmental and
social impacts

6. EXAM QUESTIONS
Discuss the effects of urban sprawl on people and the environment. Use a case
study of a major city in the UK. [6 marks]
Evaluate the effectiveness of an urban transport scheme(s) you have studied. [9
marks] [+ 3 SPaG marks
Explain how urban transport strategies are being used to reduce traffic
congestion.6 Marks

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