AQA Geography Pre-release Materials 2024: Introduction UK Housing Challenge (AQA GCSE Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Bridgette Barrett
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
Pre-release materials 2024: Introduction
The AQA pre-release materials are now available and with schools
AQA copyright and exam regulations mean that the resources themselves cannot be shared online - you will receive or may already have received the booklet from your teacher at school
The issue evaluation is synoptic, which means that it covers more than one topic from the specification
The topics covered in the 2024 issue evaluation are:
Areas of the specification covered in the issues evaluation
The materials below will provide all the background information on the issue, and key exam tips needed to tackle the questions in the 2024 Geography Paper 3 successfully
The materials will support you to:
Set the issue in context, including where it is and the key facts about the location
Examine conflicting stakeholder viewpoints about the issue
Make an appraisal of the advantages and disadvantages
Evaluate alternatives
In the exam, you will need to answer a range of questions about the proposal of a new garden settlement in Kent. You will have about 35-40 minutes for this section of the exam
There will be a series of short, skills questions (2-3 marks), followed by 6-mark extended questions and then a final 9-mark question which asks you to decide on the issue
You will be asked whether you agree or disagree with a statement and then you will be expected to explain your answer. It does not matter whether you agree or disagree, what matters is how you justify your answer using evidence from the materials in the resource booklet and your knowledge
The issue evaluation skills guide is also here to help you work out how to interpret and use the sources that you have available in the booklet
Urban Change
Towns and cities expand through a process known as suburbanisation which leads to urban sprawl at the urban fringe
The urban fringe
Cities and towns have grown outward, from a historic centre to the urban fringe
The urban fringe is where green, open spaces meet the built-up areas of towns and cities
It is where:
Housing is clustered into estates
The countryside is eroded through urban spread/sprawl
Some industrial land use can be found
Access by road is easier than in the city centre
Urban sprawl
Issues caused by urban sprawl include:
Loss of farmland to build new homes
Impact on ecosystems: removal of trees, drainage of wetlands, destruction of habitats
Loss of rural way of life and character of the countryside
Loss of traditional 'green spaces': School fields, parks, etc are being built on
Creation of impermeable surfaces and surface run-off
Higher emissions due to car dependency (people have to commute further and there is increased traffic)
Higher costs for public transport and social facilities (local governments have to spread out their budgets further), which further impacts health care, fire and policing facilities
Over 3 500 km² of rural land has been converted to urban land use over the past 25 years in the UK. This is an estimated 4 000 hectares each year
Some urban areas have a planned and protected Green Belt on which no development is restricted, but urban areas still need to grow
Development in many major cities has jumped over the Green Belt and commuter settlements have formed
The south-east of England in particular Kent, Sussex and Essex, have many commuter villages that are on or near major train lines into London and elsewhere
These villages have seen the growth of families moving out of London into newly built large-family housing but they are too expensive for families already living in the area
Worked Example
Define the term urban sprawl
[2 Marks]
Answer:
The development of areas in the urban-rural fringe or on the edge of towns and cities (1), which leads to the loss of rural areas (1)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Create a glossary of terms that are mentioned in the pre-release materials. This will ensure that you are confident about what those terms mean when writing about them in the exam. Terms you could include in your glossary are:
Urban-rural fringe
Urban sprawl
Greenfield site
Brownfield site
Greenbelt
Surburbanisation
Unsuitable housing
Garden settlement
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
Commuter settlement
Greenfield & Brownfield Sites
To meet the increased demand for housing, there are two options for places to build
Greenfield sites
Brownfield sites
With all land uses, there are arguments for and against each type of site
The Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) argue that building on brownfield sites would provide 1.3 million new homes
There are insufficient brownfield sites to provide all the housing needs
Building on some greenfield sites is necessary in the UK if the demand for housing is to be met
The Pros and Cons of Brownfield and Greenfield Site Developments
Type of site | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
Brownfield | It helps regenerate 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 the main areas of employment Brings in economic and social benefits to old urban areas | It is often more expensive because old buildings must be cleared, and land made free of pollution Often surrounded by deprived areas, it may not appeal to wealthy people Higher levels of pollution |
Greenfield | Healthier environment Close to the countryside, leisure, and recreation The existing layout does not restrict the positioning of new buildings It is relatively cheap and the rate of house building is faster Access and infrastructure are easier to build | Valuable farmland lost Encourages further urban sprawl Wildlife and habitats lost or disturbed Recreational space and attractive scenery are 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. |
Worked Example
Explain two advantages of building on greenfield sites
[4 Marks]
Answer:
One possible answer to this question is:
There is no existing layout of services or buildings (1), which means the design of the new settlement is not restricted. (1) The environment around the site is close to rural areas (1), which means people have more access to leisure and recreation. (1)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The proposed settlement in the pre-release resources is to be built on a greenfield site. You need to think about what the advantages and disadvantages of this might be.
It is also important to think about why some people and organisations, such as the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE), argue that building on brownfield sites is more sustainable.
Housing Challenge in the UK
Why is there a housing shortage in the UK?
The population of the UK has reached over 67 million
In 2022, there were 28.2 million households in the UK; this is an increase of 6.1% (1.6 million) from 2012
This population is unevenly distributed
The highest population densities are in the southeast
As well as an increasing population, the proportion of single-person households has grown
This has led to a shortage of housing in the UK, particularly in London and the southeast
It is estimated that 8 million people are affected by the UK housing crisis
What is the supply of housing in the UK?
The UK government has set a target of building 300,000 houses a year
The National Housing Federation (NHF) estimates that 340,000 houses per year are needed to meet the demand
Of these, 145,000 should be affordable housing
The new housing supply in 2019/20 was 243 000
This has decreased significantly since the peak of new house building in 1966, when 350 000 new houses were built
Demand and supply of housing in the UK
Increasingly, planning permission is being given to build on the urban fringe of towns and cities
Homes have also been built on the opposite side of the Green Belt, creating commuter towns and villages
Worked Example
Using the information above
What was the difference between the number of houses needed to meet the demand and the actual supply of houses in 2023?
[1 Mark]
A | 97 000 |
B | 57 000 |
C | 107 000 |
D | 40 000 |
Answer:
A: 97 000
The supply of housing in 2023 was 243 000
The estimated demand was 340 000
340 000 - 243 000 = 97 000
The alternative answers were incorrect because:
B is based on the government target of 300 000 not the estimated demand
C was an incorrect calculation
D was the difference between the estimated demand and the government target
Examiner Tips and Tricks
In the exam, you may be asked to interpret graphs. It is important to remember the following points:
What is the title of the graph?
What information is given as the key?
Look at the titles on the axes. What information do they provide?
What is the trend of the graph?
Increasing
Decreasing
Fluctuating
What are the highest and lowest results shown?
When did they occur (if there are dates)?
Are there any anomalies?
When did they occur, and how different are they?
Unsuitable housing in the UK
In addition to a shortage of housing, many people live in unsuitable housing
Shelter, the homeless charity, estimates that 3 in 10 people live in unsuitable housing
Unsuitable accommodation includes housing, which is:
Overcrowded
Unaffordable
Substandard
Overcrowding is the main issue
Over 3.7 million people in the UK are affected by living in overcrowded accommodation
Unsuitable housing leads to:
Ill-health
Disruption to children’s education
Homelessness
Unsafe conditions
House prices in the UK
Average House Price to Earnings Ratio (2022)
Region | Average house price | Average earnings | House price-to-earnings ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
London | £534,977 | £55,234 | 9.7 |
South East | £385,790 | £41,377 | 9.3 |
East of England | £330,883 | £38,739 | 8.5 |
South West | £298,162 | £35,598 | 8.4 |
East Midlands | £234,083 | £34,238 | 6.8 |
Wales | £211,942 | £32,467 | 6.5 |
West Midlands | £238,647 | £36,627 | 6.5 |
North West | £214,591 | £35,058 | 6.1 |
Yorkshire & Humber | £194,639 | £36,285 | 5.4 |
Northern Ireland | £177,265 | £34,565 | 5.1 |
Scotland | £194,621 | £38,070 | 5.1 |
North East | £162,692 | £35,134 | 4.6 |
Source: Halifax
London and the South East regions have the least affordable housing
Average house prices are more than nine times the average salary
Mortgage lenders will usually lend borrowers 4.5 times their salary
In 2024, an Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey reported that an estimated 35% of people paying a mortgage or rent in the UK were struggling to afford their payments
The high cost of housing means that more affordable homes need to be built
Affordable housing has no agreed definition but generally refers to housing which is for sale or rent at
'what is considered an affordable price in the local area'
National Housing Federation
The government defines affordable homes as those which cost 80% of the average market value in the area
Supply of affordable housing
The National Housing Federation (NHF) estimates that 145,000 affordable homes need to be built each year
The current supply of affordable housing is 58 000
Supply of new affordable housing
Worked Example
Suggest two causes of the housing crisis in the UK
[4 Marks]
Answer:
The UK has an increasing population (1), this means that the demand for housing is high, but this is not being met by the number of houses being built (1). An increasing proportion of housing is unsuitable, (1) this means that it is overcrowded or unaffordable, which can lead to increased homelessness. (1)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
It is important to recognise that the housing crisis in the UK is not simply about the number of houses being built. Unsuitable housing means that people are either living in poor conditions, which can damage their health, or they cannot afford the homes they are in and may potentially be made homeless.
With questions about the housing crisis, make sure that you consider all causes, not just the gap between demand and supply.
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