4A.2B Reasons for the Changes

Reasons for changes in a place might be explained by physical factors, accessibility and connectedness, historical development and the role of local and national planning. 

General

Factors	Examples
Physical	Location: proximity to large cities and core economic zones. Environment: places vary in attractiveness. Technology: lifts allowing high rise, and motor vehicles, facilitating urban sprawl and counter-urbanisation. Fibre optic cables and broadband are shifting traditional 'landscapes' and relationships.
Accessibility, connectedness	Access to other places - by road (especially motorways), rail and air. Connections ​help competition for investment and visitors.
Historical Development	Post-production era: once key factors in many places: primary production (agriculture, farming, fishing) and manufacturing have stopped being so. Competition for the optimum site for functions: commercial, retail, residential, infrastructure. Land values and intensity of use historically increased towards the Central Business District (CBD) or core of a village (church, marketplace) because access for most people pre-motor age was best here.  Changes in consumer trends:  in retailing, from corner ship to supermarket to online shopping in house types: increased demand for single homes due to demographic and cultural trends.  role of big businesses and TNCs in shaping consumer demand, and hence the character of places (cloned shopping malls) Increased affluence has increased leisure and tourism functions, so many houses and buildings have been converted, such as bars, B&Bs or second homes.  Historic Buildings (ex-warehouses, canals, old market squares) can be a physical asset for places seeking regeneration. Large areas of derelict buildings and the legacy of toxic waste from manufacturing can be a deterrent.
Role of planning by government and other stakeholders​	​National government policies on restructuring the UK economy, trying to equalise the benefits and reduce the negative externalities of changes. The 1990s policy of increasing student numbers so that 50% of children could go onto higher education.  A plan-led system with tight control over developments, zoning and segregating land uses began from 1948. Green belts introduced and new and expanded towns were developed to relieve population pressure from larger cities. The policy of state funded council housing, industry and transport shifted from the 1980s towards privatisation and greater partnerships with private investors and speculators.  Conservation area policies limit new developments and encourage conversions rather than renewal schemes. National interests may override local ones, for example with HS2 and fracking. Larger schemes must have an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Central government intervention in local places started to change in the late twentieth to early 21st century when the policy of 'localism' and individuality began.  Local planning centres on elected parish and city councils, and on a few larger cities. There has been an increased input into local decisions through Local Area Plans and stakeholder meetings. The cumbersome planning process was streamlined in 2013, although criticised for fast-tracking decisions without full consultation. Image  or the perception of a place may affect whether a place needs changing, or is able to change.

​Reading and Middlesbrough

.	Middlesbrough	Reading
Accessibility	Not on the UK motorway network, or a mainline train route.  ​A long distance north of London, the economic core.	Located on the M4, just west of London, with very good rail links.  Benefits from its proximity to London.
Connectedness	The local airport, Durham Tees Valley, is potentially closing down. Limited higher education opportunities.	Close to the global hub airport of Heathrow. Very close to many major universities, including Reading.
History	A centre for industrial revolution mining, shipping, engineering, steel and petrochemicals; however many of these industries have now closed.	Part of the M4 growth corridor west of London, it has become a centre for footlose industry and services since the 1970s.
​Planning	Almost a forgotten corner of the north east, it has never benefited from governmental regional investment.	A London 'overspill' town beyond London's greenbelt; close to rural areas, it is an attractive place to live.

Footlose industries: those that can be located anywhere; they are not tied to locations by natural resources or fixed infrastructure. 

Greenbelts: land surrounding cities that cannot be built upon, usually farmland. Development sometimes 'leapfrogs' the greenbelt, benefiting places just beyond the greenbelt's edge.