A LevelGeographyEdexcelRevision Notes5. Regenerating Places5.4 Success of Regeneration5.4.1 Assessing the Success of Regeneration

Assessing the Success of Regeneration (Edexcel A Level Geography)

Revision Note

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Lindsay Smith

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Measures used to Assess Regeneration

  • The success of economic regeneration can be evaluated using indicators of:
    • Social e.g. life expectancy, demographics
    • Economic e.g. income, poverty, employment
    • Environmental e.g. pollution, derelict land 
  • Different areas can be compared by looking at variations within each measure
  • This can help determine which regeneration projects have been more successful
  • The economic aim of regeneration is to increase income and employment, and decrease poverty

Economic Measures of Regeneration Success

Economic indicators How indicators show the success of regeneration

Income
  • Higher levels of income indicate that regeneration is successful:
  • Greater income, more disposable income and spending power lead to more local tax revenues and more economic opportunities

Poverty
  • If fewer people are living on low incomes, more people can meet their basic  human needs, which suggests regeneration is successful
  • Local authorities can then spend more money on improving services for everyone (e.g. community spaces), instead of supporting those in poverty

Employment
  • Higher levels of employment (especially full-time and permanent roles) mean greater economic opportunities for the area
  • More people will have higher spending power due to the extra disposable income
  • Both relative and absolute change can be used to measure a change in numerical data:
    • Relative change considers by what percentage (larger or smaller) did the number change from the original number e.g. the percentage change in the amount of people employed
    • Absolute change considers the difference between the original number and the new one e.g how many more people are employed in total

Exam Tip

When you’re measuring the impacts of regeneration and whether it has been successful, you need to consider:

  • Timescales - it might take many years to see improvements in educational attainment
  • The areas being compared - two places directly affected by the regeneration scheme or one regenerated place versus one undeveloped place
  • Multiple measures - whilst economic indicators might suggest the regeneration is successful, social indicators could show that people have been negatively affected

Measuring Social Progress

  • Social progress can be measured by:
    • Reductions in inequalities between and within areas
    • Improvements in the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) e.g. a reduction in health deprivation
    • Demographic changes - life expectancy improvements, population growth 
  • Looking at changes in indicators before and after a regeneration scheme will help measure its success

Social Measures of Regeneration Success

Social indicators How indicators show the success of regeneration

Health and life expectancy
  • Regeneration leads to improved physical and mental health due to:
    • New health facilities and improved outdoor spaces encourage more physical activity
    • An improved living environment increases the sense of well-being
    • Better types of employment, with higher incomes, increases food security and nutrition
  • Signs of success include:
    • Increased life expectancy
    • Reduction in infant mortality
    • Less risk of premature death

Demographics
  • More economic opportunities attract:
    • People to the area and the population increases
    • Increases the amount of younger, working-age people

Access
  • Regeneration projects involving increased access (e.g. improved public transport/ pedestrianised areas/cycle tracks) encourage:
    • People with personal mobility challenges to access services
    • Increased customer numbers using services
  • Improved access to affordable housing, leads to a decrease in the number of people receiving housing benefits and fewer homeless people

Education
  • Increased percentage of young people:
    • Leaving school with qualifications 
    • Accessing higher levels of education

Deprivation
  • Analysing the IMD scores before and after regeneration to show the difference in deprivation
    • E.g. reduction in levels of crime

Inequality
  • Regeneration can unintentionally create greater inequality as the area regenerated progresses, whilst other areas stagnate

Exam Tip

Remember that ‘success’ can be subjective and that any improvement may not benefit all of the people living in an area.

Improvements in the Living Environment

  • Successful regeneration schemes will lead to improvements in the living environment, which subsequently improves social and economic security
  • Improvements can be monitored through:
    • Reductions in pollution levels
    • Decreased amounts of abandoned and derelict land

Environmental Measures of Regeneration Success

Environmental indicators

How indicators show the success of regeneration

Pollution
  • Less air pollution can improve people’s health
  • Renewed habitats by removing water and soil pollution 
    • E.g. 3 km of waterways were cleared and 4000 trees were planted before the 2012 London Olympics

Derelict land
  • Regenerating brownfield sites means less derelict land and the removal of contaminants

Green space
  • Creating more spaces for people to be outside can lead to healthier, more active lifestyles 

Worked example

Explain why regeneration usually improves people's local living environment

[6 marks]

  • Include reasons why regeneration often brings environmental improvements
  • The question is not about regeneration in general e.g. the number of jobs created
  • 6-mark questions without a resource require a 'broad range' of geographical ideas
    • Three different reasons why improving the living environment is often part of regeneration or two reasons in greater depth

Answer:

Regeneration is the process of making an area more attractive to people. Once the regeneration scheme is completed, the local living environment should have improved. For example, regeneration occurred in areas of East London in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games. The Olympic Site was built largely on 560 acres of brownfield land, property that had been neglected, unused, and contaminated from previous industries. This area was not very aesthetically pleasing or healthy due to its industrial past. The Olympic Village has been converted into modern housing for people living in East London, along with a range of shops, restaurants and bars. Many of the grounds in the Olympic Park have been kept as parkland and are open to the public. This regeneration scheme has created vibrant and unique living conditions for the population, which was desolate before the Olympic Games. This has changed people's perception of the area, which encouraged people to move there. 

Regeneration can also improve the local environment, as well as improving living conditions. This can involve reducing water, air and soil pollution, which helps renew habitats and encourages more wildlife. During the London Olympics, 4000 trees were planted and 3 km of waterways were cleared. As a result, the ecosystem has flourished, with the Olympic Park becoming home to a range of rare plants and animals including the streaked bombardier beetle, black redstart bird and brown-banded carder bee. This has improved the living environment for both nature and people.  

Exam Tip

For the 6-mark questions, you may be able to use your local or contrasting places in your answer. Look for opportunities to refer to all your studies and use the facts you have to provide developed detailed support.

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    Lindsay Smith

    Author: Lindsay Smith

    After achieving her PGCE over 20 years ago Lindsay has worked in a range of secondary schools across the UK. With a proven record of supporting students to achieve the highest standards in schools Lindsay is eager to pass on her love of geography through excellent revision content. Lindsay has travelled extensively enhancing her knowledge and understanding of geographical issues further developing her passion for the subject.