Coasts Case Studies
Coasts Case Studies
Coasts Case Studies
1. Coastalisation in Australia
• Most urbanised country in world with 90% urban
• 60% living in 5 largest cities on coast
• Why? Main ports and industries provide jobs
• Rainfall greater near coast so most farming 300-400km from coastline
• Droughts inland have made farming difficult so young people move to cost to work in service sector jobs
• New immigrants move straight to coastal settlements
• Outdoor lifestyle at coast as well as urban attractions eg culture, restaurants
• house prices cheaper in small towns at coast so young families choose to move there
3.Coastalisation in Florida
• 75% of people in Florida live at the coast
• Value of property along the Florida coast in $1.9 trillion
• Florida Everglades wetlands has shrunk by 80% and providing freshwater to locals is becoming a problem
• 9% of Florida coast is low-lying and more people are moving in and becoming at risk from hurricanes,
flooding, storm surges etc
4. Coastalisation in Bournemouth
• Bournemouth is Dorset’s largest city and it is rapidly growing
• In 1851 there were 695 people and by 2001 163,600
• Highest population in SW of UK with 3543 people per km squared
• 1995-2005 growth of 6.4%
• Natural population decrease of 300 people in 2005 as births below deaths
• BUT inwards migration (especially over 50 years of age)
Why?
• Climate – second sunniest place in UK with less frost and snow
• High environmental quality – attractive area to live in near the World Heritage Jurassic Coast
• Accessibility – local urban amenities easily available as less than 2 hours by train from London
How did Bournemouth grow?
• Started back in the Victoria period with the development of the railway.
• In 1859 railway was built from London to Bournemouth to bring in tourists
• Wealthy tourists came as the ‘Grand Hotel’ and the Winter Gardens for the symphony orchestra were added
as attractions
• 1880s pier was built to appeal to the mass market – including people with lower wages as day trippers
• 1960s and 1970s package holidays to Europe meant that less tourists arrived
• 1980s regeneration – railway was upgraded and it now took less than 2 hours to reach London
• Airport linked people with channel islands and later Europe – attracting major employers
• Growth of service sector in Bournemouth – banking, finance and tourism
• Financial institutions (like JP Morgan Chase, Barclays Bank) employed 14889 in 1999 and by 18300 by 2003
• These industries are footloose and are attracted to Bournemouth because of :
Land with planning permission available
University to supply highly skilled workers
Access to London easy and airport allows access to Europe
Wages lower than SE and London
House prices also lower than SE
• Retirement boom – as people from SE move in and downsize their homes releasing money to reinvest and
many facilities for the elderly like day centres, clubs and social activities
• University expanded in recent years attracting younger people for vibrant nightlife
Results of growth?
• Coastal squeeze as city is squashed between the coast and rural green belt on the edge of city (where
planning permission not granted)
• Bournemouth council encourages people to renovate existing buildings and to use brownfield sites (99% of
new homes), not build new ones
• Many hotels on seafront now converted into flats or student accommodation