a2 geography urban regeneration booklet

Figure 1 The header from Birmingham City Council's Website

A2 Geography Study Visit to Birmingham

A case study of Urban Regeneration

Name: ____________________________________

From the specification:

Plan for the day:

1. Arrive in Birmingham; Park. Walk into city centre. View Historic image of St. Martin’s church compared to its current location. Field sketch of the area as it is today.

2. Discuss the problem. Why did Birmingham need regeneration?3. Visit sites of regeneration:

a. Broad Streetb. Chamberland Squarec. Mailbox / Cubed. High Streete. Bullring f. Millennium Point

4. Lunch5. Critical evaluation in pairs of the different redevelopment schemes.

Using the tools provided critically evaluate the regeneration scheme. On your return to school you will have to produce a poster for display providing background information and your findings

6. Return Home

Birmingham- Place Profile

Statistics:

Family income-Very low Interest in current affairs-Medium Housing, with mortgage-Very low Educated, to degree-Low Couples with children-Very low Have satellite TV-Very low

Location:

Situated in England Transport links, motorways, trains, airport, canal. Spaghetti Junction. In the Midlands.

History:

In 1931 the population was of 1 million people. 2,000+ died in the bombings during World War Two, this was because it was a target. According to a survey in 1954 20% of houses were unfit for human habitation. Aston university was founded in 1966, this created connections. In 1991 Birmingham became international, hosting cultural events.

Birmingham's Neighbourhood:

People living in Birmingham are mainly aged between 18 and 44. Most households are single person. Neighbourhoods have a very high population density because of the type of housing they contain,

council flats. Flats are small, mostly one or sometimes two bedrooms. Relatively deprived neighbourhoods.

Occupation:

In the deprived areas unemployment is twice the national average. Typical jobs are in service industries such as tourism and retail, as well as research, technology and

education. This is mostly primary industries. A high number of people are earning less than £5,000. The number of people with no qualifications is higher than average. Many schools were below the national average of 47% this is for an A -C grade.

Lifestyle:

Most people read tabloid newspapers such as The Daily Mirror, The Sun and Daily Record. People enjoy activities such as bingo, racing and going to the pub. Car ownership is low. Most residents are dependent on public transport and walking to get around.

There was a map of Birmingham here but I removed it as I did not have the copyright permission to share it.

Obtained from the eMapsite under the school’s map pilot.

This photograph taken around 1950 bears little resemblence to the same view of the area today. In fact the historical 'Heart' of the city is probably one of the areas of Birmingham which has changed the most in the last fifty or sixty years.

The photograph was taken from a first storey window of number 104 High Street, at the junction with Bell Street. Number 104 High Street was one of the buildings which made up part of Market Hall, the building in the right hand edge of the picture was the front of the Fish Market.A month after Nelson's death at the Battle of Trafalgar, a public meeting in Birmingham decided that a statue should be erected in his honour and well over 1000 was raised by public subscription. William Westmacott was commissioned to design the statue and the work was unveiled on the Jubilee Day of George III in 1809. It was the first statue of Nelson to be erected in England as well as Birmingham's first public statue. The area in which the statue stood was regularly used for sales of all manner of goods, public meetings and the preachings of 'Soap Box' orators. The statue remained in place for nearly 150 years, it was put into a crate for protection during the Second World War, then removed into storage in 1959, re-sited on Moor St in 1961, surrounded by roads around the time of the first Bull Ring Shopping centre, it was removed again in the late 1990s before it made a reappearance near its original location for the redevelopment of the present Bull Ring shopping centre in 2003.

One of Birmingham's well known and historic company names, one which still survives today, can be seen on a shop front at the left side of the image. Oswald Bailey's Army and NavyEventually they moved to the Pallasades, where you'll find them today, when the area around the first Bull Ring shopping centre and St Martins Circus was cleared. Oswald Bailey's celebrated their centenary in 2006.

The view as seen in the image above is currently located in the central walkway of the Bull Ring Shopping Centre, the main route between New Street and St Martin's church.

Taken from Birmingham.gov.uk

Environmental Quality of Area: Broad Street

Qualities being assessed

Very High

+2

High

+1

Aver-age

0

Poor

-1

Very Poor

-2 Qualities being assessed

Bu

ildings

Well designed / pleasing to the eye

Poorly designed / ugly

In good condition In poor condition

Evidence of maintenance / improvement

Poorly maintained / no improvement

Outside – land, gardens or open space are in good condition

Outside – no gardens, or land / open space in poor condition

No vandalism evident Extensive vandalism

Traffic

Roads have no traffic congestion

Streets badly congested

Parking is easy, garages and spaces provided

Parking very difficult, no parking provision

No traffic noise High noise volume from traffic

Safe for people Dangerous for people

No smell from traffic or other pollution

Obvious smell from traffic or other pollution

Open

Space /

gardens

Large gardens or open space outside house

No garden / open space – door opens to street

Trees and shrubs visible from close by

No greenery visible from house

Public parks within easy distance

No public parks easily accessible

Gen

eral Qu

ality

No litter Much litter

Roads well maintained with paving etc well kept

Roads poorly maintained with paving etc broken

Close to public transport Long way from public transport

Close to shops, amenities or services

Remote from shops, amenities / services

Total Score:

Comments:

Regeneration Assessment Index: Broad Street

1 2 3 4Social Interaction – Places to hang out?

Social Exclusion – No areas for groups to meet or heavy monitoring

Authenticity –

Unique design and mixed of cultures (independent shops and cafes)

Generic design - common and facilities (chains etc). No mix of cultures.

Accessibility –

Spaces designed for pedestrians and well provided with public transport

Inaccessibility –

Reliance on cars with poor transport links

Identity –

Active citizenship and signs of community involvement

Disconnected from communities –

Few signs of the presence of involvement of locals

Vibrancy – Music, art, leisure facilities, open spaces, nightlife

Lack of atmosphere – Dull, stale, quiet or uninteresting environment

TOTALS

Decay index

Complete score for each location and enter the score into area data collection sheet.

Indicator None (4) Little (3) Some (2) Much (1)Deterioration of walls (crumbling plaster, ivy etc)Peeling paint

Broken window glass

Broken gutters/drains

Structural damage e.g. cracks/rotten timberGraffiti

Weeds/vegetation in front gardens

Displaced building material (missing roof tiles/fallen bricks/chimney pots etc)Total

Environmental Quality of Area: Chamberland Square


Very High

+2

High

+1

Aver-age

0

Poor

-1

Very Poor


Bu

ildings









Traffic









Open

Space /

gardens







Gen

eral Qu

ality







Total Score:

Comments:

Regeneration Assessment Index: Chamberland Square



Authenticity –



Accessibility –


Inaccessibility –


Identity –






TOTALS

Decay index



Broken window glass





Environmental Quality of Area: Mailbox / Cube


Very High

+2

High

+1

Aver-age

0

Poor

-1

Very Poor


Bu

ildings









Traffic









Open

Space /

gardens







Gen

eral Qu

ality







Total Score:

Comments:

Regeneration Assessment Index: Mailbox / Cube



Authenticity –



Accessibility –


Inaccessibility –


Identity –






TOTALS

Decay index



Broken window glass





Environmental Quality of Area: Highstreet


Very High

+2

High

+1

Aver-age

0

Poor

-1

Very Poor


Bu

ildings









Traffic









Open

Space /

gardens







Gen

eral Qu

ality







Total Score:

Comments:

Regeneration Assessment Index: Highstreet



Authenticity –



Accessibility –


Inaccessibility –


Identity –






TOTALS

Decay index



Broken window glass





Environmental Quality of Area: Bullring


Very High

+2

High

+1

Aver-age

0

Poor

-1

Very Poor


Bu

ildings









Traffic









Open

Space /

gardens







Gen

eral Qu

ality







Total Score:

Comments:

Regeneration Assessment Index: Bullring



Authenticity –



Accessibility –


Inaccessibility –


Identity –






TOTALS

Decay index



Broken window glass





Environmental Quality of Area: Millenium Point


Very High

+2

High

+1

Aver-age

0

Poor

-1

Very Poor


Bu

ildings









Traffic









Open

Space /

gardens







Gen

eral Qu

ality







Total Score:

Comments:

Regeneration Assessment Index: Millenium Point



Authenticity –



Accessibility –


Inaccessibility –


Identity –






TOTALS

Decay index



Broken window glass





Your Task is to critically evaluate the regeneration scheme in your assigned area of regeneration.

Questionnaire

Be polite!

Question (enter letter category) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101. Do you live in/near this area?a. Yes (continue) b. No (if tourist complete other q.)2. Age (estimate!)a. <18 b. 18-30 c. 31-40 d. 41-50 e. 51-60 f. >603. Sex (estimate!)a. Male b. Female4. Employment a. Full time b. Part time.c. Student d. House wife/husbande. Unemployed f. Retired5. Length of time lived in the Areaa. < 1 year b. 1 – 5 years c. 5 – 10 years d. >10 years6. Has this Area improved or deteriorated in the time you have lived here?a. Improved b. Deterioratedc. Why?

7. What effects of increase visitors have you noticed?a. job creation b. money into townc. upgraded facilities d. increased businesse. increased congestion f. lack of parkingg. crowded with tourists h. more litteri. any other?

8. Overall is regeneration is positive/negative for Birminham?a. Positive b. Negative

a2 geography urban regeneration booklet

Documents

high street

high number of people

public statue

areas of birmingham

map of birmingham

birmingham park

city centre

low location