Decline and Deprivation in the Inner City

Urban decay and decline occur when part of a city falls into disrepair and abandonment. Characteristics of urban decay include high unemployment rates, high crime rates, depopulation, desolate-looking landscapes, abandonment of buildings and split  family groups. Urban decay does not have one single cause, but rather a combination of many, including poor urban planning, redlining, poverty, suburbanization and racial discrimination.



Urban decline is the deterioration of the inner city often caused by lack of investment and maintenance.  It is often but not exclusively accompanied by a decline in population numbers, decreasing economic performance and unemployment.

Urban deprivation is a standard of leaving below that of the majority in a particular society that involves hardships and lack of access to resources. Places suffering from urban deprivation have visible differences in housing and economic opportunities been the rich living alongside poor people.

Decay and deprivation is a relative concept depending on how deprived the area is in relation to more prosperous areas.

Decline and Deprivation in the Inner City

Inner city areas suffer

• Poverty
• Pollution
• Crime
• Overcrowding
• Poor housing conditions
• Unemployment
• Racial tension

Inner city areas were once thriving communities with a mixture of land-use and rich living alongside poor. They developed in the nineteenth century around transport developments and heavy industries and were characterised by high density housing.There were shops and houses, services, community spirit and little crime. However there were high levels of pollution – land, air and water. Poor sanitation led to a high death rate (c.f. cholera outbreaks in Soho, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds and Bristol).

After the industrial revolution people became increasingly affluent. This led to social segregation – rich move out of inner city suburbs. People left in the inner city:

• Older residents
• Single parent families
• Students
• Poorer families
• Ethnic minorities left behind – formation of ghettos.

Decentralisation increases the problem: -

Movement of businesses out of inner city – unemployment – Dead Heart.
Removal of businesses causes a loss of money from the area so there is little money available to invest in improvements.

Out-of-town shopping centres means less wealthy are deprived of better shops – less mobile.

The main cause of inner city problems is the decline of its economic base and the resulting loss of jobs. Since 1951 inner city areas in the UK have lost over 50% of their jobs. Three key changes in industry are evident and attribute to these changes:

I) Deindustrialisation (decline in manufacturing employment).

ii) Growth in service sector employment failed to replace manufacturing loss and much of modern day cbd and inner city employment is filled by commuters from outside inner city areas.

iii) The majority of new employment has been in part-time and low paid jobs, many of which employ women. Many inner city areas are characterised by outflows of capital and labour resulting in little inward investment.

The reasons for industrial decline include:

•      increased competition from overseas
•      reduced demand
•      increased mechanisation and use of technology reducing manpower
•      globalisation 

TASK

The Causes of Inner City Decline:

Read Section IV in this linked pdf and make notes on:

 The Causes and Consequences of Urban Decline.

http://www.jrf.org.uk/system/files/1859353223.pdf

Use the Barker, Redfern and Skinner  textbook 148-153 to support your notes.