3 : Making a case for the compact city & Glasgow
When looking at the economic history of Glasgow its is interesting to examine the effects of decentralisation on the city. Glasgow has been been left with a legacy of urban decline which most urban centers have managed to avoid. These problems are specific to enviromental factors which have been hard wired into areas over long periods of time. This has meant that there are some striking social issues included in this. It is quite sad and not all that superising that the poorest and most vunerable are left within these areas of decline. It is a startling figure that 54 percent most the poorest people in society are living within 500m of a derlict site. With just under 15 percent of the most affulent within the poplation living within 500m of a derlict site it is quite clear that the problem has many underlying socioeconomic connections. These figures show that there is a significant problem with developing vacant land within city of Glasgow. This is exasperasated by the attitudes of landowners who at times are inclined to view urban redevelopment negativaly. Studies of brown fild sites in mancester have indicated that in such cases half of land owners can view development positively with significant proportions viewing it with ambivilance of even negativaly.
Aberdeen 26Ha
Dundee 14Ha
Glasgow 656Ha
Edinburgh 110Ha
All of these factors lead to an environment in which development is totally dependant upon the actions of the local authority or central government within scotland. This has been seen with many grand scheme being proposed for city rejuvenation during glasgows current history with the lastest schemes focusing upon major sporting events to act as a spring borard for drivnig forward investment within the city. When seen in this light a compact form of development with focuses on the use of brown field sites is can be seen as quite desirable. The very fact that
Derilict Land rates in Scotland by Local Authority : Scotish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2012, Pg. 45
“The Interest in the compact city follows three main threads - environmental, social and economic” says Hedley Smith. The desire to promote sustainable development for cities is seen as crucial now. The environmental calmer is heard the loudest with evangelical exponent such as Richard Rogers listing a myriad of facts and figures relating to our evermore polluting cities. (Smyth, 1996, Pg 10)(Rogers, 1997, all of it) The carbon foot print of an urban dweller is about one third that of someone living out with of a city. This is a causal effect of transportation choices, housing and a myriad of other factors. Cars are a crucial factor in all of this with approximately one billion now on the worlds roads. This form of personalised transport puts huge strain on the infrastructure of sites and is incredibly damaging to the environment emitting vast amounts of CO2 every year. The social and economic implications of are probably more interesting and the figures are quite compelling. There seems now to be a nearly international consensus regarding the unworkability of sprawling car dependent urban areas. Rising energy prices make long commutes less affordable and when examined the figures are even more stark. The AA calculates the average cost of running a mid-range car priced between £13,000 and £18,000 covering 30,000 miles a year at £11,042/year. When set against the National Office of Statistics data for the average gross weekly earnings for full time employees by region, which notes the average gross wage in Scotland as being £522/week which works out at a gross figure of £27,144 per year indicating the average industrial wage. At the moment car ownership is costing over a third of the annual industrial wage in Scotland with the cost set to rise with energy prices. The financial implications for middle income families are dire as dislocated living and work environments will see more and more of their take home pay being eaten up by uneconomical car travel. In the context of the current financial crisis which shows no signs of letting up anytime soon this will cause a rapid reduction in the quality of life for the average household. With many of these families tied to unsustainable property’s thought mortgages and debt it is hard so see a way out with inducing mass financial doom.
Within Scotland over one third of the average industrial wage is requireed to run and maintain a car over the course of a single year.
Average price of running a car over the course of a year. AA : Car running costs 2013/14, NOS average gross weekly earnings by region.