People and Place – Council Housing

1. People and Place – Council Housing

2. ii) Explain one advantage OR one disadvantage of renting a property from the borough council. [2] • Advantages • No delay in having to wait to sell home SO can move out quickly. • Less outlay in first place than a mortgage SO more disposable income left • Council pays for repairs and does them SO less of own income/effort used. • May be able to buy under Right to Buy scheme SO cheaper housing

3. ii) Explain one advantage OR one disadvantage of renting a property from the borough council. [2] • Disadvantages • Can be evicted if no payment SO quickly on street/homeless risk • Do not own SO no profit made • Delays in getting repairs done by council SO services may not work/life might be inconvenient for a while • Limited work can be done by self SO it limits the scope for personalising or improving property

4. iii) Compare the distribution of areas with 43% or more rented areas with 19% or less rented. [3] • Most of >43% are • in inner city/around CBD. • Close to the River Thames • Towards East of London • Whereas • Most of <19% are towards edge of London, especially towards south-east and away from the River Thames

5. Study Photograph 3 in the separate Resource Booklet. It shows land-use in the Greenwich area of London.

6. List two pieces of evidence from the Photograph to show why inner city areas like Greenwich are known as areas of ‘mixed land-use’. [2] • High-rise housing • Terraced housing • Factories • Open space • Roads • Railways • Trees

7. List two different housing types shown in Photograph 3. Describe their location from the photograph.[4] • Terraced housing to N/NE of photo and also in SE • High-rise housing/tower blocks towards SW of photo • There is no semi-detached housing in the photo

8. Choose one type of housing area on the Photograph. Describe advantages and disadvantages of living in this type of housing area. [4] • Terraced/tower block advantages • Close to work so less time spent travelling and less costs spent on travel • Close to services e.g. shops/hospitals/health/schools so easy access • Community spirit good because people are living in a close neighbourhood • Cheap to buy or rent so more money to spend on other things • Terraced disadvantages • Often close to factories/traffic congestion SO more air/noise pollution which can lead to health problems/stress • There is a lack of open space so it is difficult to exercise/get fresh air • Tower block disadvantages • Safety issues living in high-rise e.g. wind/fire so stressful • Stress caused by lack of privacy/noise and claustrophobic • Lack of open space/garden so inside most of time.

9. i) Many tower blocks are being demolished. However, improving tower blocks has several advantages. Suggest two advantages. [2] • Will mean do not need to build so much new housing • Will save countryside/greenbelt from being spoilt by new housing • Will save costs of demolition/disruption in inner city • Will provide a positive housing area within a community

10. ii) Suggest two ways in which tower blocks could be made sustainable for people to live in for years to come. (Refer to examples from places you have studied if you wish). [4] • Need to upgrade in terms of building e.g. double glazed windows, carpets • Need to provide security system so blocks are safe/inaccessible to strangers/crime • Need to create communal spaces/playspaces in blocks by removing some flats so people can mix on different floors. • Need to provide working, well-maintained lifts so accessibility is not a problem • Need to identify client groups so specific groups of people are happy to be together e.g. student groups, over 50s, single parents • Sell some of the flats privately to encourage a mix of people so that people will invest in the area