4A.2A Changing Function and Characteristics
Over time, places changed their functions, (administrative, commercial, retail and industrial) and demographic characteristics (gentrification, age structure and ethnic composition).
Places may be associated with one particular or dominant function, e.g. mining, steel, leisure and tourism, or a market.
Historically, specialist functions such as banks, department stores, council offices and doctors' surgeries are classed as high-order functions and located in larger settlements, whilst grocer's shops, post boxes and pubs are classed as lower-order functions and found even in small villages.
However, the landscapes produced by the functions are rapidly changing due to internet and broadband and changing customer habits. The retail landscape has transformed with online shopping, click-and-collect and banking, affecting high streets. Regeneration may try to conteract 'cloning' of land uses and encourage specific place identities to draw customers back. In rural settings, pubs may also be community centres, post offices and village shops. In cities and converted farm buildings small industrial units (e.g. light manufacturing), often high-tech, have appeared, and there has been a large rise in small businesses nationally.
Functional areas are often different from administrative areas.
Very few places are static, so change affects places continually. Places have a range of economic functions, revealed in the land use of rural and urban places.
See table for details on Reading and Middlesbrough!!!
Historically, specialist functions such as banks, department stores, council offices and doctors' surgeries are classed as high-order functions and located in larger settlements, whilst grocer's shops, post boxes and pubs are classed as lower-order functions and found even in small villages.
However, the landscapes produced by the functions are rapidly changing due to internet and broadband and changing customer habits. The retail landscape has transformed with online shopping, click-and-collect and banking, affecting high streets. Regeneration may try to conteract 'cloning' of land uses and encourage specific place identities to draw customers back. In rural settings, pubs may also be community centres, post offices and village shops. In cities and converted farm buildings small industrial units (e.g. light manufacturing), often high-tech, have appeared, and there has been a large rise in small businesses nationally.
Functional areas are often different from administrative areas.
Very few places are static, so change affects places continually. Places have a range of economic functions, revealed in the land use of rural and urban places.
- Administrative: council offices, schools and other public services like clinics and hospitals.
- Commercial: offices of service industries such as legal services, accountants.
- Retail: shops that range in size from small to malls.
- Industrial: factories, warehouses and distribution centres.
See table for details on Reading and Middlesbrough!!!
Demographics
Towns also have distinctive demographic characteristics which are reflected in employment trends, land-use patterns, and levels of inequality and deprivation.
Reading has a much higher proportion of people in the 20-44 age category (41% compared with 32%) suggesting young professional workers, whereas there are more older and retired people in Middlesbrough. (19% compared with 14% over 60)
In 2011, 65% of Reading's residents were white British, compared to 86% in Middlesbrough. Greater ethnic diversity in Reading suggests a more successful place has attracted economic migrants.
In 2011, 86% of people in England and Wales were white, compared with 91.3% in 2001. On average the population grew by 7.1%, but by 9.0% in urban and 2.5% in rural areas, showing the impacts of immigration and growth on a multicultural society.
~10% of people were employed in trade and managerial or director positions in urban areas, but 14% in rural areas. These generate higher earnings, and with improved technology and communications has enabled more skilled people to live in rural areas.
Rural areas have a higher elderly population (median age of 45, urban is 37), more born in the UK (94.9%) and lower unemployment.
Gentrification is a change in the social structure of a place when affluent people move into a location. Planners may allow developers to upgrade a place's characteristics, residential and retail to deliberately attract people of a higher social status and income.
Ethnic composition is the ethnic group make-up of a population. In the UK the main groups are white, Asian and black. Ethnicity is different from nationality.
Reading has a much higher proportion of people in the 20-44 age category (41% compared with 32%) suggesting young professional workers, whereas there are more older and retired people in Middlesbrough. (19% compared with 14% over 60)
In 2011, 65% of Reading's residents were white British, compared to 86% in Middlesbrough. Greater ethnic diversity in Reading suggests a more successful place has attracted economic migrants.
In 2011, 86% of people in England and Wales were white, compared with 91.3% in 2001. On average the population grew by 7.1%, but by 9.0% in urban and 2.5% in rural areas, showing the impacts of immigration and growth on a multicultural society.
~10% of people were employed in trade and managerial or director positions in urban areas, but 14% in rural areas. These generate higher earnings, and with improved technology and communications has enabled more skilled people to live in rural areas.
Rural areas have a higher elderly population (median age of 45, urban is 37), more born in the UK (94.9%) and lower unemployment.
Gentrification is a change in the social structure of a place when affluent people move into a location. Planners may allow developers to upgrade a place's characteristics, residential and retail to deliberately attract people of a higher social status and income.
Ethnic composition is the ethnic group make-up of a population. In the UK the main groups are white, Asian and black. Ethnicity is different from nationality.