Urbanisation, suburbanisation, counter-urbanisation, urban resurgence
Cities grow, spread, shrink, and bounce back at different times. These four terms describe each stage of that cycle of urban change.
Real World
London exemplifies all four stages: rapid urbanisation in the nineteenth century, suburbanisation through interwar housing estates like Metroland, counter-urbanisation as families left for the Home Counties in the 1970s, and urban resurgence driven by gentrification in areas like Hackney from the 2000s onwards.
Exam Focus
Learn one precise named example for each of the four stages — examiners penalise generic answers that fail to apply specific urban contexts.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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