Edexcel IGCSE Geography

Revision Notes

6.3.1 Development of Rural Urban Fringe

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Rural-Urban Fringe

  • Also called the urban fringe, it is where green, open spaces meet the built-up areas of towns and cities
  • Growth at the urban fringe is due in part to counter-urbanisation, population growth, lack of space and spiralling land costs
  • These can be divided into push (negative factors causing people/businesses to leave central urban areas) and pull factors (positive factors pulling people/businesses to the rural-urban fringe)

Push and Pull Factors - The Urban Fringe

Push Pull
Housing is old, congested and relatively expensive Land is cheaper so houses are larger and have gardens
There are various forms of environmental  pollution – air quality is poor, and noise levels are high Factories can be more spacious and have plenty of room for workers to park their cars
Companies find that there is a shortage of land for expansion or building shops, offices and factories  Closeness to main roads and motorways allows for quicker and easier customer contacts
 Brownfield sites are expensive to build on due to the added costs of cleaning the land (especially if contaminated with asbestos) prior to building; plus there may be restrictions on what can be built  Closeness to main roads and motorways allows for quicker and easier commutes for car drivers and access for lorries
Access for heavy goods vehicles is limited or difficult, adding to congestion and air pollution

Changing working patterns thanks to technology, e.g. flexible working, working from home, etc.

Changes along the urban fringe

  • Some of the biggest changes in the urban landscape can be seen in the rural-urban fringe
  • Growth at the urban fringe is due in part to counter-urbanisation, population growth, lack of space and spiralling land costs
  • Other than new housing estates, there are also:
    • Retail parks - large sphere of influence due to being easily accessible, ample free parking, the concentration of businesses in one place, longer opening hours, large choice of goods
    • Industrial estates - space for expansion, purpose-built road networks, cheaper land, sited away from housing
    • Business parks - space is created for a nicer working environment, easier access and commute for workers, the area is specifically created for office space and includes a conference hotel
    • Science parks - purpose-built to encourage research and development (R&D), high-tech industries and other quaternary activities, close to a university and transport networks (including airports) to allow for knowledge transfer
    • Airports - increase in air traffic and low-cost carriers, but also airports feed into businesses on the fringe through imports and exports but also knowledge with speakers and investors having easy access to businesses 
    • Motorways and ring roads - feed into ease of access for residents, workers, lorries, buses, cars etc. 

Greenfield Vs Brownfield Debate

  • Urban growth involves building on land, which is in short supply in the urban centres
  • This makes the open land around the urban fringe desirable for housing, industry, shopping, recreation and public utilities such as reservoirs and sewerage works
  • However, some feel too much countryside is being lost through this outward growth of towns and cities
  • Some urban areas have a planned and protected greenbelt on which no development is allowed, but urban areas still need to grow 
  • This means two choices, either build on a greenfield or brownfield site
  • With all land uses there are arguments for and against each type of site

Advantages and Disadvantages of Brownfield and Greenfield Sites

  Advantages  Disadvantages 

Brownfield

Helps revive old and disused urban areas

Reduces the loss of countryside for agricultural or recreational use

Services such as water, electricity, and sewage, are already in place

Located near to main areas of employment.

Reduces the risk of squatter settlements developing

Often more expensive because old buildings must be cleared, and land made free of pollution

Often surrounded by rundown areas so does not appeal to wealthy people

Higher levels of pollution

Greenfield

Healthier environment

Close to the countryside, leisure, and recreation

The layout is not restricted by the existing layout

Relatively cheap and the rate of house building is faster

Access and infrastructure easier to build

Valuable farmland lost

Encourages further suburban sprawl

Wildlife and habitats lost or disturbed

Recreational space and attractive scenery lost

Lacks access to public transport

Development causes noise and light pollution in the surrounding countryside

Cost of installing services such as water, electricity, sewage etc.

  • There are no clear winners in this debate
  • It depends on the particular land use:
    • Housing is flexible in terms of where it could be built, but shops and offices need more space and specific locations 
    • Depends on the needs of the town or city
    • What value is the greenspace really to the town or city?
    • The issues and costs in reusing the brownfield site (asbestos etc.) need to be considered

Example Case Study - Southampton's Rural-Urban Fringe

  • Southampton has a population of over 270,000 with detached suburbs or commuter dormitories

Growth of Southampton's Residential Areas

Growth of Southampton's Residential Areas

  • Pressure from developers resulted in green belt restrictions being relaxed 
  • Motorways were added through the green belt, giving Southampton good access all round
  • As a result, certain types of businesses have been allowed to build on a limited number of sites

Major Developments in Southampton's Rural-Urban Fringe

Business Function

Nursling Industrial Park

Located beside the M271, this large estate has service industries of which distribution and storage are the main ones

Southampton Science Park

In a prime location close to the London M3 motorway, the 17-hectare park  provides high-quality office and laboratory space in attractive landscaped surroundings. Over 60 companies, dealing in high tech research fields, sit side by side resulting is a thriving community of young and old sharing ideas and knowledge. All are attracted by the park’s strategic location, quality of the environment and access to some of the UK’s leading scientific expertise at the University of Southampton

Hedge End Retail Park

Located just off the M27 and is one of the largest out-of-town retail parks in the South of England.  Home to Marks and Spencer, Sainsburys, Currys/PC World, and many more stores

Adanac Business Park

Approved in 2008, with a 74-acre site and is home to the Ordnance Survey (OS), which produces all the maps of the UK. The park is earmarked for major office developments and large space occupiers  - such as the Ordnance Survey

Worked example

Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of developing greenfield sites. (4)

  • 1 mark for the initial explanation
  • 1 mark for development through further explanation or exemplification

Possible Answer:

  • Advantage: Greenfield sites are often flat and uncontaminated (1) which makes it cheaper to develop land compared to the clearing cost of brownfield sites (1)
  • Disadvantage: Uses permeable land which, when developed, increases surface run-off (1) which can increase urban flood risk in an area (1)

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