Remaking Birmingham free essay sample

This essay focuses on the subjects of urban regeneration and sustainability in the I-JK. I shall start by exploring the true meanings of the two subjects and how they are connected with one another. The I-JK has many urban regeneration projects happening all the time and I have chosen to focus on the city of Birmingham and the Big City Plan. I am going to delve into the processes, objectives and outcomes of the project and come to my own conclusion as to whether urban regeneration in Birmingham is done in a sustainable way. Cities cover Just 2% of the worlds landmass, but more than 60% of the worlds opulation inhabit them, therefore urban regeneration is a massive global issue that needs to be fully understood and considered. What is urban regeneration? In short, urban regeneration is a combination of the processes that are undertaken in order to rejuvenate, and renew an urban place. One definition of urban regeneration is, a comprehensive and integrated vision and action which leads to the resolution of urban problems and which seeks to bring a lasting improvement in the economic, physical, social and environmental conditions of an area that has been subject to change. (Roberts 2000, p. 17) This definition of urban regeneration is one that is very widely understood. It means that when urban regeneration is done well it will bring change to many aspects of a town or city, from the economic to the environmental. In the I-JK, cities are hugely important for the economic function of the country and if the cities are not prosperous then the country will not have the best economy it can. Therefore urban regeneration is a tremendously important matter. There are many types of urban regeneration, five main ones that we focus on in the I-JK. First there is economic regeneration, which focuses on the income of the city, Job creation and employment for the residents of a given urban area and the employability of the residents themselves. Secondly there is social cultural regeneration. This type of urban regeneration is aimed at improving the quality of life for the residents of the area, bettering the quality of the housing, education and health services and also reducing the crime rate in an area. Another type of regeneration is physical environmental, which is concentrated on improving the natural and built environment of an urban area. Higher quality infrastructure and more green spaces are the aims of physical environmental urban regeneration. Fourthly there is communication regeneration and this is dedicated to improving the transport links within a town or city, which will in time have an impact on the other aspects of urban regeneration as well. The final main type of urban regeneration is governance, which is not an immediate topic when discussing urban regeneration. Governance is the way a settlement is run by the local council, the decisions they make and what impact they have on the town or city. If all of these main elements of urban regeneration are achieved, then the city will be completely revitalized. The residents will have an improved quality of life, new employment opportunities, and community participation would be available for people to enrich their lives. the UK sustainabili ty is a central topic, especially when linked witn urban regeneration. Sustainability is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987). Sustainability considers climate hange, energy consumption, land use and transport to name Just a few, how they affect the environment and the carbon footprint they create. Although cities are a danger to the natural environment, they play a hugely important role in the economic climate of the I-JK, which is why sustainability is such a central concept. What is a sustainable city? A question that many city planners ask themse lves when it comes to sustainable urban regeneration. A sustainable city is one that fills all of the requirements of both the economic climate and the residents without damaging the nvironment. It would be an attractive place to be and green spaces for nature and recreation would be actively integrated into the city environment. A good quality transport system that positively promotes pedestrian areas and cycling which, in time would lead to low pollution and noise levels, and local food consumption would all contribute to the sustainable city goal. Another element of a sustainable city that people are inclined to overlook is an efficient waste disposal system. If the waste is disposed of correctly and efficiently then the city would have a much more esthetically pleasing feel to it and the general manner of the people living and working in the settlement would be happier. Sustainable urban design is another element of an overall sustainable city. Design that considers all of the needs of the people using the space, makes good use of the local resources available, and makes the most of the natural ventilation and lighting opportunities, would be an efficient and sustainable building with long-term livability. Has the designer used renewable energy resources? Are the living and working spaces combined? What are the noise pollution levels? These are all uestions that we should be asking ourselves as designers when it comes to sustainable urban regeneration, and we must consider whether value for money is delivered at a small cost of design and construction. Birmingham is one of the biggest cities in the UK and has one of the youngest populations in Europe with 37% of the residents less than 24 years of age. It also has a hugely ethnic diverse population, the city winning the city of culture title in 2010. All of these factors have to be considered when talking about urban regeneration in Birmingham. Over the last decade the city has reinvented itself using the theme of new urbanism, to become a city that attracts tourism and investment from all over the globe. One of the major attractions of Birmingham today, the Bullring shopping centre, was the first indoor city shopping centre to be built in the I-JK. The Big City Plan is a 20 year, master plan that aims to develop Birmingham city centre into a world class place that will attract tourism and business from all over the world. The plan contemplates all aspects of the built environment of Birmingham, trom transport to heritage and hopes to create new residential and employment opportunities encouraging the diverse culture of the city. Some specific aims of the plan are, to generate over 50000 new employment opportunities, which will hopefully contribute E2. 1 billion to the economy of the city each year. The plan has the aim of developing a city centre that is focused on pedestrianism and cycling which will have a very positive effect on the carbon footprint of the city and noise pollution levels will drop. The plan also has the objective of redeveloping and creating 65000 square metres of public space, from parks and walkways to leisure parks. This type of revitalization will enhance the lives of the residents in the city of Birmingham itself. Over 5000 new homes are to be built in Birmingham that will have leisure and recreation opportunities close by, so as to attract more people to a better quality of life. Another specific aim of the master plan is to retain Birminghams heritage and cultural assets, an authentic city, of which Birmingham has many. The Black Country Museum for example, is a place where people can gain a historical, cultural experience of Birmingham. A high-speed rail network is to be implemented, creating a connected city, which will enable more people to work in the city centre as ommuting becomes easier, enhancing the economic climate of the city. Birmingham is a very educational city, home to over 4 universities and various colleges, and a technology and engineering quarter is to be developed as a result of the regeneration. As a whole, the Big City Plan is the most aspiring urban regeneration project to ever be established in the I-JK. As a case study I am focusing in on the area of Eastside in the heart of Birmingham city centre. It is a very run down, neglected area that is not attractive and at the present day, has almost no redeeming qualities. The Eastside area will be the location of the single largest environmental regeneration project in the city. Billions of pounds have been invested into the project for this area by investors, organizations and businesses from the local surrounding area to all over the globe. When finished, the regeneration in Eastside will have created new businesses, new jobs, enhanced the cultural experience of the place, the leisure and educational services will be vastly improved, and the residential opportunities will be improved beyond belief. The area is planned to be exclusively, the technology and learning uarter, giving it a specific quality and objective. Eastside City Park which, is yet to be built, will be when finished, the first and largest city centre park in Birmingham in over 30 years. The high speed rail network that is to be established within the city centre is to have two terminals in the Eastside area, meaning that the area will be incredibly accessible for all, bringing employment opportunities and tourism which will overall boost the economic growth of not only that specific area of Eastside but the whole city itself. The Big City Plan has a detailed section about sustainability, nd how it plans to make sure that Birmingham will become a sustainable city for the future. For example, by 2026 the city hopes to have reduced its carbon footprint by 60%. The city centre particularly, has a large part to play in aiding the achievement of reaching this goal. Birmingham hopes to reduce its reliance on non-renewable energy resources and instead build up a way of generating low-carbon energy. The local government want to focus in on the conversion and re-use of existing buildings so not as to generate more carbon emissions through building more buildings and nocking down existing ones. They also want to make the existing, functioning buildings greener by installing sustainable energy generation methods such as solar panels on roofs. Allowing the public opportunities to have their own small allotments will enable people to grow their own produce, therefore reducing the need for importing goods. These goals are not unrealistic, the city is actually in relatively a good position to reach these goals and become a truly sustainable city. When the plan is finished in 2020, a sustainable, efficient city should be the outcome. The pedestrians and cyclists will have a much higher priority over other transport methods, which will vastly improve the aesthetics of the city centre, hence improving the quality of the living and working conditions for the residents. Noise pollution will also be dramatically decreased as a result of less motor vehicles in the city centre, which will create a calmer atmosphere, leading to the promotion a certain way of life in which people would take the time to use the citys new parks to relax and do recreational activities, enhancing their quality of life even further. Another result that he government hopes to achieve is that people will be able to charge their electric vehicles in the city centre at various points. This will actively promote low emission transport and reduce carbon emissions for the city. This would be a dramatic contrast to the selection of vehicles in the city today, 95% of which are all petrol or diesel engines with high emission levels. Alterations that are to be made to the road network are going to make the roads in the city centre flow much more smoothly and reduce congestion, resulting in lower noise pollution, a lower carbon footprint and a uch more aesthetically pleasing place to be. Is urban regeneration in Birmingham done in a sustainable way, and are the future plans for urban regeneration going to create a sustainable city? I have come to the conclusion that urban regeneration in Birmingham is done in a very sustainable way. The citys authorities have developed a specific plan and method by which they will develop the city centre into an exciting, green place to be. They have considered all areas of urban generation, which I have delved into, and if completed to the standard promised, will generate a hugely efficient and sustainable city for the future.