Case study – urban change in the UK

• Location: south-west England.
• Population: 483,000 people (2024)
• High-tech industries; 2015 Green Capital award winner

• Cultural mix: community events and social harmony.
• Recreation: the aim is to plant trees so that tree canopy will cover 20% of the city with trees by 2035.
• Employment: jobs in low-carbon industries.
• Transport: bio-buses powered by food and sewage waste.
• Urban greening: 27% of the city is a wildlife network, with plans to make Bristol an urban nature reserve.

Inequalities between two areas (Filwood and Stoke Bishop):

• Housing: Filwood has poorly insulated homes, while 81% of Stoke Bishop homes are owner-occupied.
• Education: only 36% of Filwood students get grades 5-9 at GCSE, compared to 94% in Stoke Bishop.
• Health: life expectancy 78 in Filwood vs 83 in Stoke Bishop.
• Employment: 1/3 of 16-24-year-olds in Filwood are unemployed, compared to 3% in Stoke Bishop.

• Dereliction: abandoned properties in Stokes Croft.
• Waste disposal: 1/2 million tons of waste annually.
• Brownfield vs. greenfield site building: brownfield sites have easier planning as there is existing infrastructure, whereas greenfield sites have more garden space but building on them may harm the countryside.
• Urban sprawl: expands into rural areas, destroying ecosystems and increasing pollution

Temple Quarter Project:

• Deemed necessary to address the lack of green spaces, low income, poor transport options, and absence of business opportunities.
• Electrified train tracks for faster, quieter, and eco-friendly transport.
• A £200 million university campus to teach tech skills.
• Sustainable buildings like Glass Wharf with tinted windows to reduce energy use