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Urbanisation at the Fringe
Boundaries between rural & urban areas are becoming increasingly blurred. Most rural residents are
economically & socially urban (commuters). The urban fringe is an area of rapid development &
change. Change is faster & more likely, particularly in traditional remote rural settlements due to:
 Integration of the economy on a global & national scale.
 Better communication.
 Easier movement of people & goods.
In many cases the multiplier effect is initiated:
Capital
Investment
Higher Agricultural
Productivity
More investment
By the 1950s most UK villages had a good infrastructure – roads, rail, water, electricity etc. and so this
also increased development.
Urban-Rural Environmental Continuum
The influences of urban areas are strongest near to these urban areas and so there is an urban-rural
continuum.
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2
3
4
5
Urban
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Rural
Urban built environment
Urban-rural fringe – May include greenbelt. Land use of farmland and a settlement dominated
income e.g. country park.
Farming & commuter zone – Settlements are modified by commuter activity with strong
development pressures. The farming is productive. The area is also affected by counterurbanisation trends e.g. farm conversions.
Deep Countryside – Beyond commuting distance. Settlements are influenced by holiday homes.
Farming is unaffected by urban areas but there is some outward migration.
Remote rural environments – Marginal farming & steady outward migration. Tourism is
increasingly important.
In areas where population is increasing there is immense pressure for extra housing therefore have to
build on land beyond the urban fringe. There is fierce competition & controversy over land use.
They need to decide either:
 Build adjacent to existing towns & villages.
 Concentrate in completely new Greenfield sites.
Foxley Wood, Hampshire
Hampshire is an area of rapid population growth & so proposals were made in 1984 to build 4800
homes in a disused gravel pit for 12,500 people. This was a good location as it was within easy
commuting distance of Reading & Basingstoke and was outside greenbelt land. However there was a
huge controversy as the environment minister originally rejected it, before being given the go-ahead. It
was later rejected again.
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Expansion of the Fringe
There was rapid expansion of the rural-urban fringe during the 1920s & 30s due to urban sprawl and
improvements in public transport. This led to the development of suburbia with large estates of mainly
semi-detached housing with open space & little industry.
1960s-1980s: Urban sprawl continues either for low-density, high quality housing or outer city council estates for
people from slum clearance.
1990s: Increasingly see the rural-urban fringe as a development prospect. The land is cheaper; there is a better
environment and more space. This leads to conflict between economic development & protecting the
rural environment.
Land Use in the rural-urban Fringe
Counter-urbanisation
The process of population movement from urban to rural areas lead to the formation of suburbanised
villages. This is due to push & pull factors. The reasons for counter-urbanisation are:
 Greater affluence – mobile workforce.
 New technologies – tele-cottaging & the Internet improve communication.
 Better transport – people can easily commute to work.
 House shortage anyway due to high population & fewer people per house.
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There are 2 Possible scenarios for rural settlements:
 Peripheral rural areas experiencing depopulation & decline:
Therefore there is the need to halt the decline to retain businesses & people. There is the need to
rationalise the provision of services and so they are located in larger settlements for economies of
scale. The hope is that the key settlement will become a growth pole
 Rural areas coming under pressure from counter-urbanisation, commuting or tourism:
Here there is the need to preserve the character of settlements to ensure they do not get over-run by
developments. There may be restrictions on growth e.g. greenbelt & heritage areas.
Suburbanised villages –
Change in character due to counter-urbanisation. They are also known as commuter or dormitory towns
as people commute to nearby cities.
People moving in:
1. Wealthy urban residents – can afford expensive housing & travel.
2. Those that want a better quality of life due to the better environment.
3. Elderly people – Retire to quieter environment.
4. Tourists.
5. Second-Home owners
Changes:
 Newcomers outnumber locals – creates social divide.
 House prices increase – locals forced out.
 Increase in services, shops, schools & healthcare.
 More cars – congestion on narrow roads due to commuter traffic.
 Changing demographic structure as the old move in & the young move out. This leads to a higher
dependency ration in rural areas.
 Decline of the rural economy.
 Loss of greenbelt & agricultural land.
Braithwaite, Lake District
A small village in the Lake District which used to be a core of farm buildings & terraced cottages in
1920s. Employment was in farming, flour, pencil factory & mining.
In the 1990s the character changed due to improved accessibility & mobility as it was next to the A66
& Keswick. Modern houses & accommodation now surround the village for tourists. Now very few
residents are employed locally in farming or tourism.
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Urbanisation at the fringe of LEDCs - Africa
Urbanisation is occurring rapidly in LEDCs and there is large rural-urban migration. However rural
populations are continuing to grow due to the high birth rate. This can also lead to unemployment &
seasonal employment. The urban areas are growing rapidly causing urban sprawl and the loss of huge
areas of agricultural land.
Urban pressure in LEDCs:
 The urban areas tend to ignore rural issues.
 There is a large demand for resources e.g. timber, food & water.
 Urban sprawl consumes agricultural land.
 Prevention of traditional nomadic migration.
The effect of rural-urban migration is greatest on the fringe of urban areas as people are more aware of
the influence of urban areas & communication is better. In some areas migration may be beneficial as it
reduces the population pressure on the land. Circular migration occurs in the Sahel where people
migrate to urban areas during the dry season & send money back home. This money can be invested to
improve the farm.
Urban-rural links
Resources
People & information
Permanent
rural-urban migrants.
Seasonal migrants who move to the
city at times when there is no
agricultural employment.
Agricultural products.
Agroforestry products e.g. timber &
fuel wood
Ideas & images
of rural life in the media.
Sand, stone & building materials
Water supply
Returning migrants with new skills.
Savings from migrants to their rural
families.
Urban Area
Rural spending on items only available
in urban areas
Investments in rural developments e.g.
TNCs who invest in intensive farming
but whose offices are in urban areas.
Money & investments
Domestic & industrial refuse dumped
in landfill sites on the urban fringe.
Air pollution from urban industry,
traffic & power stations is carried to
rural areas.
Sewage - often discharged untreated
into rivers that flow through rural
areas.
Pollution