AQA Geography Pre-release Materials 2024: Tudeley Village Proposal (AQA GCSE Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Bridgette Barrett
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
Tudeley Village: Garden Settlement
What is a garden settlement?
In 2022, the UK government pledged £15 million to support the development of 14 new garden settlements
Garden settlements are planned residential communities where planning focuses on providing large green areas and parks
A garden settlement or village aims to be sustainable, providing:
Green spaces
New job opportunities
Community facilities
Infrastructure investment
The funding aimed to support new 300,000 homes in 43 towns and villages
Up to 90,000 of the homes will be designated affordable housing
One area included in the government plan is Tudeley Village, located between Tonbridge and Paddock Wood in Kent
What is a sustainable settlement?
A sustainable settlement should meet the needs of the community today and those of future generations
There should be:
Minimal damage to the environment
Secure jobs
An equal allocation of resources
A strong sense of community
Involvement of local people in decision-making
The features of a sustainable settlement may be economic, social or environmental
Sustainable Settlement Features
Economic | Social | Environmental |
|---|---|---|
Access to a range of jobs Thriving local economy | Community facilities such as schools and healthcare Affordable, quality housing Access to water and energy supplies | Conservation of open spaces and habitats such as ancient woodland Provision of public transport, cycle networks and footpaths to reduce car use Renewable energy provision |
The Housing Crisis in Kent
Located in southeast England, Kent has some of the highest house prices in the UK
Kent County Council has been allocated a government target to build 12,000 homes a year within the county
In 2021/22, only 6,870 were built
The average house price in Tonbridge is £394,996
To afford an average-priced house in Tonbridge, buyers would need:
A 10% deposit of £39,499
To make mortgage payments of £2,050 a month for 25 years
Home buyers are usually able to borrow 4.5 times their annual income
This means that home buyers would need a household income of over £85,000 a year to afford the average house
The shortage of housing in Kent is the result of:
Population growth
Increased movement of people to Kent from London
Lack of house building
This shortage has led to a rapid increase in house prices, reducing the availability of housing further
House prices in the area have increased 422% since 1997
Tonbridge is expected to have population growth of over 10% between 2021 and 2031
This will further increase the demand for housing
Worked Example
Suggest one reason why there is a housing crisis in Kent
[1 Mark]
Answer:
Any of the answers below would be accepted
House prices are high meaning they are unaffordable for many people (1)
Population growth increases demand for housing (1)
Not enough houses are being built (1)
Tudeley Village Location
The proposed village is located between Tonbridge and Paddock Wood
The main features of this site are:
The London to Ashford railway line, which runs through the centre of the proposed development
To the south of the development area is the B2017, which is the main road through the area
This road already experiences congestion, leading to the proposal for the Five Oak Green bypass
An area of low-lying, flat land, that is ideal for building on
The River Medway floodplain to the north of the proposed settlement
The Hadlow Estate Solar farm to the east
The site covers approximately 2.7 km2
Location of the proposed site of Tudeley Village
Worked Example
Explain one reason why the site at Tudeley Village is a suitable place for new housing
[2 Marks]
The resource booklet provides you with an OS map of the location
Use this, together with the information above, to answer the question
Answer:
One possible answer to this question is:
The site at Tudeley is fairly flat and low-lying (all the land is below 55m above sea level) (1) which means that construction is easier (1)
Alternative responses may include:
Near to the High Weald AONB
Attractive environment with lots of leisure and recreation opportunities
Access to Tonbridge and London
Close to solar farm for energy
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The resource booklet contains an OS map of the area around the proposed development. It is likely that there will be a question which will require you to demonstrate the use of map skills. It is important that you ensure you are able to:
Give and use grid references
Measure distances
Interpret contour lines to assess the site's suitability for building
Identify key features such as the solar farm, mainline railway
The proposed development site is currently agricultural land just to the north of High Weald, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
The features of the High Weald AONB include:
Over 10,000 hectares of protected land
Over 3,700 species of plants and animals
Woodland coverage of 28%, much of it dating back to Medieval times
Many sites with high biodiversity include over 13,000 ponds and 50 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
The AONB provides people with leisure and recreational activities
Houses in the area covered by the AONB are built in the local style
Sustainable management of the AONB has been made more challenging by the increasing population and number of visitors
Location of proposed Tudeley Village and High Weald AONB
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The Tudeley Village development is controversial for a number of reasons. The main concerns relate to the building on a greenfield site on the edge of the High Weald AONB.
To prepare for the exam, you need to consider why this is so controversial. Consider what an AONB is and how it might be affected by the village development on the edge of this area.
Tudeley Village Plan
Tudeley Garden Village would be a self-contained settlement, which means that it includes all the facilities that people need, including:
Schools
Leisure (sports centre, cricket club, tennis club, etc.)
Housing, mix of sizes and styles
Allotments and orchards
Nursery, primary and secondary schools
Healthcare
The village aims to provide a range of affordable housing
Some of the facilities would not be built straight away but added during the different phases of the development over a 30 year period
Plan for Tudeley Garden Village
Worked Example
Outline ways in which Tudeley Village could be considered a self-contained settlement
[4 Marks]
Answer:
A self-contained settlement should contain all the facilities needed by the population (1) Tudeley Village will be mixed-use, which means that there will be space for businesses which create jobs in the local area (1). The provision of allotments and orchards means that people can grow their own food (1) Healthcare and education will also be provided within the settlement with the building of a health centre and schools (1)
Tudeley Village and Sustainability
The Tudeley Village plan is centred around sustainability
Tudeley Village: A sustainable settlement
Worked Example
Explain two ways in which Tudeley Garden Village would be a sustainable settlement?
[4 Marks]
Answer:
One possible answer to this question is:
There is a solar farm which provides electricity for 5000 homes (1) this means that energy for the village will be from a renewable source, which reduces emissions (1) Cycle paths and pathways have been included in the plan (1) this will encourage people to walk and use cars less (1)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
It is important to remember that although the aim is for Tudeley Village to be a self-contained and sustainable settlement, the development will take place over 30 years. This means that some of the features of sustainability will not be in place for many years. For example, the railway station will not be built until there are 1,900 houses; this may take over 10 years.
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