WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

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Hodder Education Revision Lessons

Changing housing and service provision in more

developed countries

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

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How has housing in urban and rural areas changed?

• Why is more housing in urban areas being built on

brownfield sites?

• Restricting housing developments on greenfield sites

and greenbelts. Will this change?

• What does sustainable housing mean and what effects

does it have?

• Should we demolish or improve existing housing?

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

Brownfield sites are derelict sites where buildings may

have been left empty or demolished.

Question: Explain three advantages of building on a

brownfield site instead of building on a greenfield site.

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Building housing in urban areas onbrownfield sites

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

Three advantages of building on a brownfield site instead of

building on a greenfield site:

• It removes an eyesore, so local house prices will increase.

• It means that habitats are not destroyed, so animals are not

displaced.

• There is existing infrastructure, e.g. roads, electricity and

water, so it will be cheaper to build.

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Building housing in urban areas onbrownfield sites

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

• A greenfield site is land that has not been used previously

for building but it can be built on.

• A green belt is land on the edge of urban areas that has not

been used previously for building and it cannot be built on.

Question: Explain three advantages of building on a

greenfield site instead of building on a brownfield site.

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Restricting housing developments on greenfield sites and green belts

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

Three advantages of building on a greenfield site instead of

building on a brownfield site:

• There are no buildings to demolish, so it is cheaper and

easier to start development.

• Greenfield sites provide space for gardens, so it is better for

families who will have safe places to play.

• There are no existing road plans to restrict your planning, so

you can build what is best for the development.

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Restricting housing developments on greenfield sites and green belts

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

Greenbelts were created to try to reduce urban sprawl. This is where the urban area increases outwards.

Question: Explain two problems caused by urban sprawl.

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Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of the Ordnance Survey © Crown copyright 2011

Restricting housing developments on greenfield sites and green belts

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

Answers could include:

• Increased length of journeys,

as people commute to the CBD

from the edge of the city for

work or to use shops/services, so

there is more congestion and

air/noise pollution.

• An increasing amount of land is

concreted with roads, so there is

an increased flood risk.

• Loss of habitats, so animals are

displaced. Click to continue

Restricting housing developments on greenfield sites and green belts

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

Our houses use a lot of energy and this contributes to climate

change.

Eco or sustainable housing tries to meet housing needs for

people now and in the future.

Our housing needs to be sustainable economically,

environmentally and socially.

(1) How can housing be socially sustainable?

(2) How can housing be economically sustainable?

(3) How can housing be environmentally sustainable?

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What does sustainable housing mean and what effects does it have?

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

What does sustainable housing mean and what effects does it have?

(1) How can housing be socially sustainable?

Houses must be good for the community, now and in the future. For example:

• social areas for people to meet and mix, e.g. parks, green spaces, community centres

• mixed tenure so creates a positive mixed community

• mixed house types so people don’t have to move away as their needs change

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

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(2) How can housing be economically sustainable?

Houses must be affordable, now and in the future. For example:

• shared ownership with housing association

• help for first-time buyers, e.g. no stamp duty

• stepped ownership where the tenant buys more of the property over time

(3) How can housing be environmentally sustainable?

Housing must not damage the environment, now and in the future. For example:

• solar panels, wind turbines, double/triple glazing and insulation all reduce energy needs and therefore the amount of carbon dioxide produced

• plant roofs reduce flood risks

What does sustainable housing mean and what effects does it have?

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

Some of the housing in our urban areas is unfit for use and

can either be demolished for new developments or improved.

Tower blocks were built in many urban areas in the UK in the

1950s and 1960s. Since then, many of these tower blocks

have been demolished. However, some have been improved

to make them better places for people to live.

Question: Explain how tower blocks could be made more

sustainable.

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Should we demolish or improve existing housing?

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

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How could tower blocks be made more sustainable?

• Some of the flats could be made bigger by knocking two small flats into one. The space could be used to create more bedrooms, which would be good for families or a larger living space for people who want to live nearer to the city centre.

• Provide more double/triple glazing with larger windows. This will reduce the need for heating/lighting and mean lower bills and also is better for the environment because less carbon dioxide is produced.

• Remove some of the flats to create community space like play areas or meeting areas, or use it for car parking which would help local residents.

• Can you think of any others?

Should we demolish or improve existing housing?

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

Question: Explain the advantages of improving tower blocks instead of demolishing them.

What does sustainable housing mean and what effects will it have?

WJEC (B) GCSE Geography

Theme 1 Topic 4

Advantages of improving tower blocks instead of demolishing them:

• It is cheaper to refurbish than to demolish and rebuild, so this saves money for the council.

• Tower blocks don’t use up a lot of land, so there is less green space lost, so fewer habitats are destroyed.

• It doesn’t create landfill and less energy is used in constructing the new building, so there is a lower impact on climate change.

• Can you think of any others?

What does sustainable housing mean and what effects will it have?