Need for Regeneration (Edexcel A Level Geography)
Revision Note
Statistical evidence
The use of statistics can provide evidence of the need for regeneration
The criteria showing the need for regeneration include:
Social - ethnicity, access to education and healthcare, educational achievement, community facilities
Economic - types of employment, unemployment, business rates, property values
Environmental - derelict land, closed shops, boarded-up buildings, graffiti, pollution, lack of green space, transport provision
Local authorities use:
Census data to assess the need for regeneration and identify demographics that they want to attract to the area
The Labour Force Survey to determine the average income for different jobs and the types of work carried out by local people
This helps to identify gaps in the labour market
Index of multiple deprivation (IMD) to identify small areas that are deprived and in need of regeneration
This quantitative data is very useful as it:
Provides a way to measure the social, economic and environmental problems in an area
Can be used to compare places
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You need to evaluate the need for regeneration in your chosen places, using different types of evidence. Consider the following questions when gathering evidence:
Questions | Possible evidence |
|---|---|
| Data on population, employment, housing, services, crime, environment or multiple deprivation Newspaper reports Other media sources |
| Interviewing local residents Historical oral accounts (Oral History Society website) |
| Social media Interviewing local residents |
| Scattergraphs Spearman’s rank |
| Television documentaries Social media and blogs Newspapers Council website |
| Television documentaries Social media and blogs Newspapers Council website - Local Area Plan |
| Environmental impact assessment Questionnaires Interviewing local residents |
Gather statistical evidence for your chosen places to determine whether regeneration is needed. Your main source of information will be:
The ONS website (census and neighbourhood statistics)
Local authorities websites
IMD
Labour Force Survey
You should choose a range of economic, social and environmental data to see the need for regeneration, and compare this with the surrounding region.
The more statistical evidence you collect, the more reliable and valid your conclusions will be. The stronger the evidence, the better the conclusions and the higher the mark!
Reading-evaluating the need for regeneration
Unemployment rates are low for Reading (4.1%); it is only slightly higher than the UK average (3.8% for 2022)
23.5% of the unemployed were on long-term sick
Reading has a highly skilled workforce, with 20% more managerial, administrative or professional households than the national average
The average salary in Reading is £45,400 (2022), which is £5000 more than the UK average
There was an increase of 5% in private rented housing between the 2011 and 2021 census
Shoplifting was the fastest-growing crime in 2023 and it increased by 47.6% over the last year
Reading is the 3rd most unequal ‘city’ in terms of wealth (Gini coefficient 2017)
According to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (2019), Reading is ranked the 141st most deprived out of 317 local authorities in the country
Life expectancy is 6.8 years lower for men and 7.8 years lower for women in the most deprived areas of Reading than in the least deprived areas (Public Health England 2018-20)
Some of the data shows that Reading is an affluent area, with a highly skilled workforce (unemployment rate, salary) and therefore might not need as much regeneration as some other places
However, evidence from the data (shoplifting rates, inequality in life expectancy and wealth) shows that there are pockets of poverty within Reading, which would benefit from regeneration
Middlesbrough - evaluating the need for regeneration
Middlesbrough has the third-highest unemployment rate in the North East at 8.2% (2022)
With 33.2% on long-term sick
Weekly pay is £555, compared to £642.2 per week in the UK (2022)
29.1% of the working population are employed in manual/processing jobs, which are typically low-paid
The health of people in Middlesbrough is generally worse than the England average
Middlesbrough is one of the 20% most deprived districts in England
Approximately 31.8% (9,450) of children live in low-income families
Life expectancy for both men (75.3 years) and women (80) is lower than the England average (men - 79.6, women - 83.2)
Life expectancy is 12.6 years lower for men and 12.0 years lower for women in the most deprived areas of Middlesbrough than in the least deprived areas
The evidence suggests that Middlesbrough requires more regeneration than Reading
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You need to bear in mind that statistical data can quickly become out of date e.g. the census only takes place every ten years. Also, statistical data doesn’t represent how some stakeholders might feel about a place.
Media evidence
Using media (television dramas, blogs, films, news broadcasts, newspapers) can help develop a viewer’s sense of place
Media can provide contrasting evidence, including different stakeholders, and question whether the chosen areas require regeneration
However, media is subjective and may not accurately show the need for regeneration:
Some writers may portray a favourable image of a place to enhance a story
Other places may be depicted as worse than they are to add drama, which risks stigmatising an area and its locals
The BBC (2019) aired a series of short documentaries about Middlesbrough, called We Are Middlesbrough
The locals were all very positive about Middlesbrough, despite it being classed as one of the most deprived areas in the UK
Based on statistics, Reading is not a deprived area and has a high quality of life
However, one news article states “Reading town centre among most crime-ridden in England and Wales” (2021)
Whilst another report states Reading is the 26th safest place in the UK
Different representations
Different representations of places can influence the perceived need for regeneration
Some possible representations that could influence people’s perceptions regarding regeneration include:
Newspapers
News reports
Documentaries on TV
YouTube video clips uploaded by individuals
Estate agents
Tourism and local enterprise offices
Local authorities
It is important to consider the accuracy of documentaries and video sources:
Only a small number of people might be interviewed
Only a few images might be shown
The local community forums might be very vocal and not represent the majority
Worked Example
Using a place you have studied, explain why it is difficult to assess the need for regeneration
[6 marks]
State the place you will use as your example
Explain why statistical data might not give the full picture of the need for regeneration
Give examples of statistics from your chosen place and comment on how they show whether the place needs to be regenerated or not
Finally, explain why media depictions of a place can be unreliable
Give an example of how your chosen place is depicted in the media and why it might not be accurate
Answer:
Using information about Reading, in Berkshire, shows it is sometimes difficult to assess the need for regeneration.
Statistical data (such as census data, and the index of multiple deprivation) is often used by various stakeholders to help determine whether an area requires regeneration. However, statistical data can quickly become out of date e.g. the census only takes place every ten years. Also, statistical data doesn’t represent how some stakeholders might feel about a place. Therefore, this type of data does not always give the full picture of the need for regeneration.
Statistical data for Reading overall suggests that it is an affluent place, which would require little regeneration. Reading has a highly skilled workforce, with 20% more managerial, administrative or professional households than the national average. The average salary in Reading is £45,400 (2022), which is £5000 more than the UK average. Unemployment rates are low for Reading (4.1%), which is only slightly higher than the UK average (3.8% for 2022). However, when inequalities between the more and least affluent in Reading are taken into account, the picture becomes very different. Reading is the 3rd most unequal ‘city’ in terms of wealth (Gini coefficient 2017). Life expectancy is 6.8 years lower for men and 7.8 years lower for women in the most deprived areas of Reading than in the least deprived areas (Public Health England 2018-20). This suggests that there are deprived areas within Reading that would benefit from regeneration.
Media depictions of a place are often unreliable as they are subjective and may not accurately show the need for regeneration. Media can also be biased towards certain ideas depending on the storyline or agenda of the writer or presenter. Some writers may portray a favourable image of a place to enhance a story, whilst other places may be depicted worse than they are to add drama. Based on much statistical evidence, Reading is not a deprived area and has a high quality of life. One news article reported that Reading is the 26th safest place in the UK. However, one recent news report stated that “Reading town centre among most crime-ridden in England and Wales”. This highlights how the media can be misleading and makes it difficult to assess the need for regeneration.
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