Urban decay (also known as urban rot , urban death or urban blight ) is the sociological process by which a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude. There is no single process that leads to urban decay.
96-512: Grainger Town is the historic commercial centre of Newcastle upon Tyne , England . It covers approximately 36 ha (89 acres). Almost all of Grainger Town is in Newcastle's Central Conservation Area, one of the first designated in England . The area includes a medieval 13th-century Dominican priory , pieces of the historic Town Walls, and many fine Georgian and Victorian buildings. The area
192-858: A base for the prosperity of major cities. When these industries relocate to larger, less urban environments, some cities have experienced population loss with associated urban decay, and even riots . Cutbacks on police and fire services may result, while lobbying for government funded housing may increase. Increased city taxes encourage residents to move out. Libertarian economists argue that rent control contributes to urban blight by reducing new construction and investment in housing and discouraging maintenance . Large French cities are often surrounded by areas of urban decay. While city centers tend to be occupied mainly by upper-class residents, cities are often surrounded by public housing developments , with many tenants being of North African origin (from Morocco , Algeria and Tunisia ), and recent immigrants . From
288-464: A divisive issue in French public politics. Many east German towns such as Hoyerswerda face or are facing population loss and urban shrinkage since the reunification of Germany in 1990. Hoyerswerda's population has dropped about 40% since its peak and there is a significant lack of teenagers and twenty- forty-some year olds due to the declining birthrates during the uncertainty of reunification. Part of
384-596: A grand dinner attended by 2000 guests, and the Laing Art Gallery has a painting of this event. With the exception of the timber roof which was destroyed by a fire in 1901 and replaced by latticed-steel arches the Market is largely in its original condition. The Grainger Market architecture, like most in Grainger Town, which are either grade I or II listed, was listed grade I in 1954 by English Heritage. The development of
480-487: A handful of historic densely occupied, arguably overinflated markets in the local authorities: Harrogate , Cheltenham , Bath , inner London, Hastings , Brighton and Royal Tunbridge Wells . Significant Newcastle housing developments include Ralph Erskine 's the Byker Wall designed in the 1960s, and now Grade II* listed . It is on UNESCO 's list of outstanding 20th-century buildings. The Byker Redevelopment has won
576-522: A lull during the Great Depression , a Second Great Migration (1940–1970), in which 5 million or more African-Americans moved, including many to California and various western cities. Between 1910 and 1970, African-Americans moved from southern States, especially Alabama , Louisiana , Mississippi , and Texas to other regions of the United States , many of them townspeople with urban skills. By
672-549: A mix of other uses such as retail or commercial. One of the best examples of this is in Hulme , Manchester, which was cleared of 19th-century housing in the 1950s to make way for a large estate of high-rise flats. During the 1990s, it was cleared again to make way for new development built along new urbanist lines. In the United States, early government policies included " urban renewal " and building of large-scale housing projects for
768-538: A monopoly in the coal trade to a cartel of Newcastle burgesses known as the Hostmen . This monopoly, which lasted for a considerable time, helped Newcastle prosper and develop into a major town. The phrase taking coals to Newcastle was first recorded contextually in 1538. The phrase itself means a pointless pursuit. In the 18th century, the American entrepreneur Timothy Dexter , regarded as an eccentric, defied this idiom. He
864-586: A part of the City undergoing redevelopment. The slow demise of the shipyards on the banks of the River Tyne happened in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. During the Second World War, the city and surrounding area were a target for air raids as heavy industry was involved in the production of ships and armaments. The raids caused 141 deaths and 587 injuries. A former French consul in Newcastle called Jacques Serre assisted
960-448: A significant effect, and remains the primary means of a natural remedy. In Western Europe, where undeveloped land is scarce and urban areas are generally recognized as the drivers of the new information and service economies, urban renewal has become an industry in itself, with hundreds of agencies and charities set up to tackle the issue. European cities have the benefit of historical organic development patterns already concurrent to
1056-478: A substantial amount of property in the two North East of England towns was destroyed in a series of fires and an explosion which killed 53 and injured hundreds. The status of city was granted to Newcastle on 3 June 1882. In the 19th century, shipbuilding and heavy engineering were central to the city's prosperity; and the city was a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution . This revolution resulted in
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#17328512724471152-569: A thriving, cosmopolitan area with bars, restaurants, hotels and public spaces. The historic heart of Newcastle is the Grainger Town area. Established on classical streets built by Richard Grainger , a builder and developer, between 1835 and 1842, some of Newcastle upon Tyne's finest buildings and streets lie within this area of the city centre including Grainger Market , Theatre Royal , Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street. These buildings are predominantly four stories high, with vertical dormers, domes, turrets and spikes. Richard Grainger
1248-530: A variety of causes from the loss of key industries, population decline , and counterurbanization . Population decline in particular was noted to be faster in inner city areas than in outer ones, however a decline was noted throughout the 1970s, through the 1990s in both inner and outer city areas. Jobs declined between 1984 and 1991 (a decline observed particularly among men), while outer areas saw job growth (particularly among women). The UK also saw urban areas become more ethnically diverse, however urban decline
1344-664: Is Exhibition Park , which contains the only remaining pavilion from the North East Coast Exhibition of 1929 . From the 1970s until 2006 this housed the Newcastle Military Vehicle Museum; which closed in 2006. The pavilion is now being used as a microbrewery and concert venue for Wylam Brewery . The wooded gorge of the Ouseburn in the east of the city is known as Jesmond Dene and forms another recreation area, linked by Armstrong Park and Heaton Park to
1440-526: Is St James' Park , the stadium home of Newcastle United FC which dominates the view of the city from all directions. Another major green space in the city is the Town Moor , lying immediately north of the city centre. It is larger than London's Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath put together and the freemen of the city have the right to graze cattle on it. The right extends to the pitch of St. James' Park , Newcastle United Football Club's ground ; this
1536-524: Is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear , England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough , located on the River Tyne 's northern bank opposite Gateshead to the south. It is the most populous settlement in the Tyneside conurbation and North East England . Newcastle developed around a Roman settlement called Pons Aelius . The settlement became known as Monkchester before taking on
1632-607: Is a constituent member of the North East Mayoral Combined Authority . The first recorded settlement in what is now Newcastle was Pons Aelius (" Hadrian 's bridge"), a Roman fort and bridge across the River Tyne . It was given the family name of the Roman Emperor Hadrian , who founded it in the 2nd century AD. This rare honour suggests Hadrian may have visited the site and instituted the bridge on his tour of Britain. The population of Pons Aelius then
1728-477: Is a covered multi-level centre, with a glass facade, housing a multiplex cinema , a sky bar with views over the city, restaurants and a casino. 54°58′21″N 1°36′41″W / 54.9725°N 1.6114°W / 54.9725; -1.6114 Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne , or simply Newcastle ( / nj uː ˈ k æ s əl / new- KASS -əl , RP : / ˈ nj uː k ɑː s əl / NEW -kah-səl ),
1824-481: Is dubbed “Tyneside Classical”. Grainger Town has 450 buildings, and 244 are listed (29 at grade I and 49 at grade II*). The majority of buildings remain in private ownership. Sir Nikolaus Pevsner described Grey Street as “one of the finest streets in England”. The area around it and Grey's Monument is expanding quickly, with high-quality shopping, including designer fashions and jewelry. The Central Exchange, containing
1920-628: Is estimated at 2,000. Fragments of Hadrian's Wall are visible in parts of Newcastle, particularly along the West Road. The course of the "Roman Wall" can be traced eastwards to the Segedunum Roman fort in Wallsend – the "wall's end" – and to the separate supply fort of Arbeia in South Shields , across the river from Hadrian's Wall. The extent of Hadrian's Wall was 73 miles (117 km), spanning
2016-488: Is named after Richard Grainger , a developer who built several classical streets between 1824 and 1841, including Grey Street, Grainger Street, and Clayton Street. Richard Grainger was said to “have found Newcastle of bricks and timber and left it in stone”. Some of Newcastle's finest buildings are in Grainger Town, including Grainger Market and Theatre Royal . These buildings are predominantly four stories, with vertical dormers, domes, turrets, and spikes. The architecture
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#17328512724472112-671: Is not exercised, although the Freemen do collect rent for the loss of privilege. Honorary freemen include Bob Geldof , King Harald V of Norway, Bobby Robson , Alan Shearer , the late Nelson Mandela and the Royal Shakespeare Company . The Hoppings funfair, said to be the largest travelling funfair in Europe, is held here annually in June. In the south-eastern corner of the Town Moor
2208-721: The Central Arcade . BBC Radio 4 listeners voted it “Best street in the UK” in 2010. Initially named Upper Dean Street, Grey Street runs south from Grey's Monument , following the route of the Lorke or Lort Burn , which formerly flowed openly into the Tyne and is now enclosed, curving slowly to the east and descending to the river. It ends after the Mosley Street junction, where Dean Street, constructed in 1749, begins. Sir John Betjeman said: As for
2304-588: The Edwardian Central Arcade , is located in Grainger Town. Grainger built Grey Street in the 1830s. Several architects, including John Dobson , were involved. The street’s entire western side was designed by two architects from Grainger's office, John Wardle and George Walker. Grey Street contains the Theatre Royal designed by John and Benjamin Green , the southern entrance to Monument Metro station , and
2400-566: The London Library by half a century. Some founder members of the Literary and Philosophical Society were abolitionists. Newcastle also became a glass producer with a reputation for brilliant flint glass . A permanent military presence was established in the city with the completion of Fenham Barracks in 1806. The great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead was a tragic and spectacular series of events starting on Friday 6 October 1854, in which
2496-562: The Ouseburn Valley , where the river finally reaches the River Tyne . The springtime dawn chorus at 55 degrees latitude has been described as one of the best in the world. The dawn chorus of the Jesmond Dene green space has been professionally recorded and has been used in various workplace and hospital rehabilitation facilities. The area around the Tyne Gorge, between Newcastle on
2592-666: The Roman departure from Britain , completed in 410, Newcastle became part of the powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria , and was known throughout this period as Munucceaster (sometimes modernised as Monkchester ). Conflicts with the Danes in 876 left the settlements along the River Tyne in ruins. After the conflicts with the Danes, and following the 1088 rebellion against the Normans, Monkchester
2688-475: The suburbs and exurb commuter towns ; often in the form of white flight . Another characteristic of urban decay is blight – the visual, psychological, and physical effects of living among empty lots, buildings, and condemned houses. Urban decay is often the result of inter-related socio-economic issues, including urban planning decisions, economic deprivation of the local populace, the construction of freeways and railroad lines that bypass or run through
2784-561: The 1830s by Richard Grainger and John Dobson . More recently, Newcastle architecture considered to be Tyneside classical has been extensively restored. Broadcaster and writer Stuart Maconie described Newcastle as England's best-looking city and the German-born British scholar of architecture, Nikolaus Pevsner , describes Grey Street as one of the finest streets in England. In 1948 the poet John Betjeman said of Grey Street, "As for
2880-409: The 1920s, and the process continued into the 1970s, along with substantial private house building and acquisitions. Unemployment hit record heights in Newcastle during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The city's last coal pit closed in 1956, though a temporary open cast mine was opened in 2013. The temporary open cast mine shifted 40,000 tonnes of coal, using modern techniques to reduce noise, on
2976-412: The 1950s to the 1970s, publicly funded housing projects resulted in large areas of mid- to high-rise buildings. These modern "grands ensembles" were welcomed at the time, as they replaced shanty towns and raised living standards, but these areas were heavily affected by economic depression in the 1980s. The banlieues of large cities like Lyon , especially the northern Parisian banlieues, are criticized by
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3072-465: The 19th century were a group of unrelated people who lived in and around the centre of Newcastle and its Quayside between the end of the 18th and early/mid 19th century. They are depicted in a painting by Henry Perlee Parker . Newcastle was the country's fourth largest print centre after London, Oxford and Cambridge , and the Literary and Philosophical Society of 1793, with its erudite debates and large stock of books in several languages, predated
3168-570: The Foundation to be "more extreme and therefore more visible" in the north of the United Kingdom. This trend of northern decline has been observed not just in the United Kingdom but also in much of Europe. Some seaside resort towns have also experienced urban decay towards the end of the 20th century. The UK's period of urban decay was exemplified by popular songs, such as The Specials ' 1981 single " Ghost Town " and The Jam's 1978 single " Down in
3264-633: The German war effort by describing important targets in the region to Admiral Raeder who was the head of the German Navy. The public sector in Newcastle began to expand in the 1960s. The federal structure of the University of Durham was dissolved. That university's college in Newcastle, which had been known as King's College, became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (now known as Newcastle University ), which
3360-570: The Great Exhibition of the North, the largest event in England in 2018. The exhibition began on 22 June with an opening ceremony on the River Tyne, and ended on 9 September with the Great North Run weekend. The exhibition describes the story of the north of England through its innovators, artists, designers and businesses. In 2019, various travel sites named Newcastle to be the friendliest city in
3456-457: The New Urbanist model, and although derelict, most cities have attractive historical quarters and buildings ripe for redevelopment. In the inner-city estates and suburban cities, the solution is often more drastic, with 1960s and 1970s state housing projects being demolished and rebuilt in a more traditional European urban style, with a mix of housing types, sizes, prices, and tenures, as well as
3552-468: The North . Newcastle's thriving Chinatown lies in the north-west of Grainger Town , centred on Stowell Street. A new Chinese arch, or paifang , providing a landmark entrance, was handed over to the city with a ceremony in 2005. The Tyneside flat was the dominant housing form constructed at the time when the industrial centres on Tyneside were growing most rapidly. They can still be found in areas such as South Heaton in Newcastle but once dominated
3648-545: The Second World War, the United Kingdom carried out extensive slum clearances. These efforts continued after the war, however in many of these slums, depopulation became common, producing compounding decay. The UK is unlike much of Europe in having high overall population density, but low urban population density outside of London. In London, many former slum neighbourhoods like in Islington became "highly prized", however this
3744-516: The Tube Station at Midnight ". Historically in the United States, the white middle class gradually left the cities for suburban areas due to African-American migration north toward cities after World War I . Some historians differentiate between the first Great Migration (1910–1930), numbering about 1.6 million African-American migrants who left mostly Southern rural areas to migrate to northern and Midwestern industrial cities, and, after
3840-569: The U.S., the new inner-city poor were often African-Americans that migrated from the South in the 1920s and 1930s. As they moved into traditional white neighborhoods, ethnic frictions served to accelerate flight to the suburbs. The main responses to urban decay have been through positive public intervention and policy, through a plethora of initiatives, funding streams, and agencies, using the principles of New Urbanism (or through Urban Renaissance , its UK/European equivalent). Gentrification has also had
3936-654: The UK. Since 1974, Newcastle has been a part of the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear in North East England . The city is located on the north-western bank of the River Tyne , approximately 46 miles (74 km) south of the border with Scotland. The ground beneath the city is formed from Carboniferous strata of the Middle Pennine Coal Measures Group — a suite of sandstones , mudstones and coal seams which generally dip moderately eastwards. To
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4032-488: The Urban White Paper (DETR 2000), and a study of Scottish cities (2003) hypothesize areas suffering from industrial decline, high unemployment, poverty, and a decaying physical environment (sometimes including contaminated land and obsolete infrastructure) – prove "highly resistant to improvement". Changes in transportation from public to private, (specifically the private motor car ) eliminated some of
4128-563: The advent of mass car ownership, the marketing of suburbia as a location to move to, and the building of the Interstate Highway System . In North America, this shift manifested itself in strip malls , suburban retail and employment centers, and low-density housing estates. Large areas of many northern cities in the United States experienced population decreases and a degradation of urban areas. Inner-city property values declined, and economically disadvantaged populations moved in. In
4224-515: The area followed their customers to the suburbs, and some apartment buildings were "hi-jacked" by gangs who collected rentals from residents but failed to pay the utility bills, leading to termination of municipal services and a refusal by the legal owners to invest in maintenance or cleaning. Occupied today by low-income residents and immigrants and being over-crowded; the proliferation of crime, drugs, illegal businesses, and decay of properties have become prevalent. Like many industrial nations before
4320-482: The area, depopulation by suburbanization of peripheral lands, real estate neighborhood redlining , and immigration restrictions. During the Industrial Revolution , many people moved from rural areas to cities for employment in the manufacturing industry, thus causing urban populations to boom. Subsequent economic change left many cities economically vulnerable. Studies such as the Urban Task Force (DETR 1999),
4416-452: The authority is one of few authorities to see the proportion of detached homes rise in the 2010 Census (to 7.8%), in this instance this was coupled with a similar rise in flats and waterside apartments to 25.6%, and the proportion of converted or shared houses in 2011 renders this dwelling type within the highest of the five colour-coded brackets at 5.9%, and on a par with Oxford and Reading , greater than Manchester and Liverpool and below
4512-525: The blight in east Germany is due to the construction and preservation practices of the socialist government under the German Democratic Republic (GDR). To fill the housing needs, the GDR quickly built many prefabricated apartment buildings. In addition, historic preservation of pre-war buildings varied; in some cases, the rubble of buildings destroyed by the war were simply left there while in other cases
4608-473: The cities' public transport service advantages, e.g., fixed-route buses and trains. In particular, at the end of World War II , many political decisions favored suburban development and encouraged suburbanization through financial incentives like government supported FHA loans and VA mortgage aid. This allowed many veterans of World War II and their families to afford comfortable single family housing in suburbs. The manufacturing industry has historically been
4704-483: The city in the 1960s saw the demolition of part of Grainger Town as a prelude to the modernist rebuilding initiatives of T. Dan Smith , the leader of Newcastle City Council . A corruption scandal was uncovered involving Smith and John Poulson , a property developer from Pontefract , West Yorkshire, and both were imprisoned. Echoes of the scandal were revisited in the late 1990s in the BBC TV mini-series, Our Friends in
4800-483: The city today dates from this period. Throughout the Middle Ages , Newcastle was England's northern fortress. In 1400 Newcastle was separated from Northumberland for administrative purposes and made a county of itself by Henry IV . Newcastle was given the title of the county of the town of Newcastle upon Tyne. The town had a new charter granted by Elizabeth I in 1589. A 25-foot-high (7.6 m) stone wall
4896-533: The country's territorial spatial planning administration. They have been ostracized since the French Commune government of 1871, considered as "lawless" or "outside the law", even "outside the Republic", as opposed to "deep France" or "authentic France", which is associated with the countryside. In November 2005, the French suburbs were the scene of riots sparked by the accidental electrocution of two teenagers in
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#17328512724474992-464: The curve of Grey Street, I shall never forget seeing it to perfection, traffic-less on a misty Sunday morning. Not even Regent Street, even old Regent Street London, can compare with that descending subtle curve. Grainger Market is a Grade I listed covered market, constructed as part of the 19th-century urban renewal replacing markets on the site of Grey Street. Designed by John Dobson , it opened in 1835. The market has two sections: The Eastern, which
5088-526: The curve of Grey Street, I shall never forget seeing it to perfection, traffic-less on a misty Sunday morning." The street curves down from Grey's Monument towards the valley of the River Tyne and was voted England's finest street in 2005 in a survey of BBC Radio 4 listeners. In the Google Street View awards of 2010, Grey Street came 3rd in the British picturesque category. A portion of Grainger Town
5184-497: The debris was removed, and an empty lot remained. Other standing historical structures were left to decay in the early GDR as they did not represent the socialist ideals of the country. In Italy, a well-known case of urban decay is represented by the Vele di Scampia , a large public housing estate built between 1962 and 1975 in the Scampia neighborhood of Naples . The idea behind the project
5280-513: The early 1990s, Richard Grainger's legacy was in poor shape, as shops and offices moved to other locations. The area’s residential population fell rapidly to 1,200. Around 100,000 m (1.1 million square feet) was vacant, and the area exhibited all the classic symptoms of urban decay . Structural problems were evident, with 47% of its 244 listed buildings classed as being “at risk” and 29% as “vulnerable.” There were calls for listed properties and whole streets to be razed, and investor confidence
5376-570: The end of the Second Great Migration, African-Americans had become an urbanized population, with more than 80% of Black Americans living in cities. A majority of 53 percent remained in the South, while 40 percent lived in the Northeast and Midwest and 7 percent in the West. From the 1930s until 1977, African-Americans seeking borrowed capital for housing and businesses were discriminated against via
5472-633: The epidemic; this may also have been the most devastating loss in any British city in this period. During the English Civil War , the North declared for the King. In a bid to gain Newcastle and the Tyne, Cromwell's allies, the Scots, captured the town of Newburn . In 1644, the Scots then captured the reinforced fortification on the Lawe in South Shields following a siege and the city was besieged for many months . It
5568-638: The federal-government–legislated discriminatory lending practices for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) via redlining . In 1977, the US Congress passed the Community Reinvestment Act , designed to encourage commercial banks and savings associations to help meet the needs of borrowers in all segments of their communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Later urban centers were drained further through
5664-701: The first Veronica Rudge Green Prize in Urban Design in 1988. Newcastle has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). Data in Newcastle was first collected in 1802 by the solicitor James Losh . Situated in the rain shadow of the North Pennines , Newcastle is amongst the driest cities in the UK. Temperature extremes recorded at Newcastle Weather Centre include 37.0 °C (98.6 °F) set in July 2022 down to −14.0 °C (6.8 °F) on 29 December 1995. Newcastle can have cool to cold winters, though usually warmer than
5760-645: The following ... Prohibition of the occupancy of properties except by the race for which they are intended ... Schools should be appropriate to the needs of the new community and they should not be attended in large numbers by inharmonious racial groups . Federal Housing Administration , Underwriting Manual: Underwriting and Valuation Procedure Under Title II of the National Housing Act With Revisions to February, 1938 (Washington, D.C.), Part II, Section 9, Rating of Location. Ninety-five percent of cities with populations greater than 100,000 people in
5856-469: The keels, boats that were used to transfer coal from the river banks to the waiting colliers , for export to London and elsewhere. In the 1630s, about 7,000 out of 20,000 inhabitants of Newcastle died of plague , more than one-third of the population. Specifically within the year 1636, it is roughly estimated with evidence held by the Society of Antiquaries that 47% of the then population of Newcastle died from
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#17328512724475952-429: The market. In 2024 redevelopment plans and the poor condition of the shelters lead to the council proposing to fill it with concrete. In the 1960s and 1970s, parts of Grainger Town, constituting about a quarter of Grainger's original scheme, were demolished to make way for projects such as the Eldon Square Shopping Centre . In the 1980s and early 1990s, the area was overtaken by new retail and commercial centres. By
6048-427: The motor car, Newcastle's road network was improved in the early part of the 20th century, beginning with the opening of the Redheugh road bridge in 1901 and the Tyne Bridge in 1928. Efforts to preserve the city's historic past were evident as long ago as 1934, when the Museum of Science and Industry opened, as did the John G Joicey Museum in the same year. Council housing began to replace inner-city slums in
6144-428: The name of a castle built in 1080 by William the Conqueror 's eldest son, Robert Curthose . It was one of the world's largest ship building and repair centres during the Industrial Revolution . Newcastle was historically part of the county of Northumberland , but governed as a county corporate after 1400. In 1974, Newcastle became part of Tyne and Wear . The local authority is Newcastle City Council , which
6240-406: The north bank and Gateshead on the south bank, is the famous Newcastle-Gateshead Quayside . It is famed for its series of dramatic bridges, including the Tyne Bridge of 1928 which was built by Dorman Long of Middlesbrough , Robert Stephenson 's High Level Bridge of 1849, the first road/rail bridge in the world, and the Swing Bridge of 1876. Large-scale regeneration efforts have led to
6336-671: The northern suburbs of Paris, and fueled in part by the substandard living conditions in these areas. Many deprived suburbs of French cities were the scenes of clashes between youth and the police, with violence and numerous car burnings resulting in media coverage. Today the situation remains generally unchanged; however, there is a level of disparity. Some areas are experiencing increased drug trafficking, while some northern suburbs of Paris and areas like Vaulx-en-Velin are undergoing refurbishment and re-development. Some previously mono-industrial towns in France are experiencing increasing crime, decay, and decreasing population. The issue remains
6432-484: The original features that had fallen beyond repair. The building was built in 1835 by Grainger for the Bank of England and the Northumberland and Durham District Bank . The Grade II* listed building was restored with the help of a grant in 1997. Following extensive repairs, the building hosts a bar on the ground floor, and offices above. Land Securities developed a new 19,235 m (207,040 sq ft) retail and leisure complex, which opened in 2002. The Gate
6528-416: The poor. Urban renewal demolished entire neighborhoods in many inner cities and it was as much a cause of urban decay as a remedy. These government efforts are now thought by many to have been misguided. For multiple reasons including increased demand for urban amenities, some cities have rebounded from these policy mistakes. Meanwhile, some of the inner suburbs built in the 1950s and 1960s are beginning
6624-448: The private sector, which exceeded the estimated £74 million budget. JD Wetherspoons , a U.K. pub chain, spent 13 months restoring the French Renaissance style of the former Union Club opposite Newcastle station . When completed, the pub was renamed The Union Rooms. As a result of the restoration, architectural features, such as a 15 ft (4.6 m) high stained glass window and a large stained glass dome , were added to replace
6720-466: The process of decay, as those who are living in the inner city are pushed out due to gentrification . General: Specific: Notes The construction of the Gowanus Parkway , laying a concrete slab on top of lively, bustling Third Avenue, buried the avenue in shadow, and when the parkway was completed, the avenue was cast forever into darkness and gloom, and its bustle and life were forever gone. Recommended restrictions should include provision for
6816-417: The replacement of former shipping premises with modern new office developments; an innovative tilting bridge - the Gateshead Millennium Bridge - integrated the Quayside more closely with the Gateshead Quayside, home to the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (the venue for the Turner Prize 2011) and the Norman Foster -designed The Sage Gateshead music centre. The Newcastle and Gateshead Quaysides are now
6912-415: The revolution of marine propulsion and the production of cheap electricity . In 1882, Newcastle became the seat of an Anglican diocese , with St. Nicholas' Church becoming its cathedral. Newcastle's public transport system was modernised in 1901 when Newcastle Corporation Tramways electric trams were introduced to the city's streets, though these were replaced gradually by trolley buses from 1935, with
7008-619: The riverside to higher parts of the city centre and the extant Castle Keep , originally recorded in the 14th century, remain intact in places. Close, Sandhill and Quayside contain modern buildings as well as structures dating from the 15th–18th centuries, including Bessie Surtees House , the Cooperage and Lloyds Quayside Bars, Derwentwater House and House of Tides, a restaurant situated at a Grade I-listed 16th century merchant's house at 28–30 Close. The city has an extensive neoclassical centre referred to as Tyneside Classical, largely developed in
7104-588: The rural areas around it, and the winters are often compensated for by warm summers, with very long daylight hours in the summer months, longer than all other major English cities. Newcastle upon Tyne shares the same latitude as Copenhagen and southern Sweden. Urban decay Urban decay can include the following aspects: Since the 1970s and 1980s, urban decay has been a phenomenon associated with some Western cities, especially in North America and parts of Europe . Cities have experienced population flights to
7200-470: The statue, and the monument plinth was designed and built by Benjamin Green. The Grainger Market replaced an earlier market originally built in 1808 called the Butcher Market. The Grainger Market itself, was opened in 1835 and was Newcastle's first indoor market. At the time of its opening in 1835 it was said to be one of the largest and most beautiful markets in Europe. The opening was celebrated with
7296-495: The streetscape on both sides of the Tyne. Tyneside flats were built as terraces, one of each pair of doors led to an upstairs flat while the other led into the ground-floor flat, each of two or three rooms. A new development in the Ouseburn valley has recreated them; Architects Cany Ash and Robert Sakula were attracted by the possibilities of high density without building high and getting rid of common areas. In terms of housing stock,
7392-665: The surrounding areas. Many families left homeless by the earthquake squatted inside the Vele . The lack of police presence, led to a rise in Camorra drug trade, as well as other gang and illicit activity. In South Africa, the most prominent urban decay case is Hillbrow , an inner-city neighborhood of Johannesburg which was formerly affluent. At the end of apartheid in 1994, many middle-class white residents moved out and were replaced by mainly low-income workers and unemployed people, including many refugees and undocumented immigrants from neighboring countries. Many businesses that operated in
7488-521: The tram service finally coming to an end in 1950. The city acquired its first art gallery, the Laing Art Gallery in 1904, so named after its founder Alexander Laing, a Scottish wine and spirit merchant who wanted to give something back to the city in which he had made his fortune. Another art gallery, the Hatton Gallery (now part of Newcastle University ), opened in 1925. With the advent of
7584-541: The turn of the 21st century included the Life Science Centre in 2000 and Millennium Bridge in 2001. Based at St James' Park since 1886, Newcastle United F.C. became Football League members in 1893. They have won four top division titles (the first in 1905 and the most recent in 1927), six FA Cups (the first in 1910 and the most recent in 1955) and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969. They broke
7680-471: The urbanisation of the city. In 1817 the Maling company, at one time the largest pottery company in the world, moved to the city. The Victorian industrial revolution brought industrial structures that included the 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (4 km) Victoria Tunnel , built in 1842, which provided underground wagon ways to the staithes . On 3 February 1879, Mosley Street in the city, was the first public road in
7776-590: The west of the city are the Upper Pennine Coal Measures and further west again the sandstones and mudstones of the Stainmore Formation, the local equivalent of the Millstone Grit . In large parts, Newcastle still retains a medieval street layout. Narrow alleys or ' chares ', most of which can only be traversed by foot, still exist in abundance, particularly around the riverside . Stairs from
7872-562: The width of Britain; the Wall incorporated the Vallum , a large rearward ditch with parallel mounds, and was built primarily for defence and to prevent the incursion of Pictish tribes from the north, and probably not as a fighting line for a major invasion. However, it seems that the Vallum stopped just west of Newcastle, where its role as a secondary line of defence was performed by the River Tyne . After
7968-427: The world to be lit up by the incandescent lightbulb . Newcastle was one of the first cities in the world to be lit up by electric lighting. Innovations in Newcastle and surrounding areas included the development of safety lamps , Stephenson's Rocket , Lord Armstrong 's artillery, Be-Ro flour, Lucozade , Joseph Swan 's electric light bulbs, and Charles Parsons ' invention of the steam turbine , which led to
8064-503: The world transfer record in 1996 by paying £15 million for Blackburn Rovers and England striker Alan Shearer , one of the most prolific goalscorers of that era. In 2017, Newcastle was the venue for the 2017 Freedom City festival. The 2017 Freedom City festival commemorated the 50 years since Dr Martin Luther King's visit to Newcastle, where King received his honorary degree from Newcastle University . In 2018 Newcastle hosted
8160-561: Was a meat market laid out in a series of aisles; and the Western, which was a vegetable market with a large open hall. The vegetable market's roof was in ill-repair by 1898, and the current roof was installed in 1901. While the principal uses of the market have since changed, it still houses a number of butchers' stalls. The market is home to a small branch of Marks & Spencer , a market stall known as Marks and Spencer's Original Penny Bazaar. During World war 2 air raid shelters were built under
8256-469: Was all but destroyed by Odo of Bayeux . Because of its strategic position, Robert Curthose , son of William the Conqueror , erected a wooden castle there in the year 1080. The town was henceforth known as Novum Castellum or New Castle . The wooden structure was replaced by a stone castle in 1087. The castle was rebuilt again in 1172 during the reign of Henry II. Much of the keep which can be seen in
8352-618: Was built around the town in the 13th century, to defend it from invaders during the Border war against Scotland. The Scots king William the Lion was imprisoned in Newcastle in 1174, and Edward I brought the Stone of Scone and William Wallace south through the town. Newcastle was successfully defended against the Scots three times during the 14th century. From 1530, a royal act restricted all shipments of coal from Tyneside to Newcastle Quayside , giving
8448-483: Was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the Eldon Square Shopping Centre , including all but one side of the original Eldon Square itself. Immediately to the north-west of the city centre is Leazes Park , first opened to the public in 1873 after a petition by 3,000 working men of the city for "ready access to some open ground for the purpose of health and recreation". Just outside one corner of this
8544-441: Was eventually stormed ("with roaring drummes") and sacked by Cromwell's allies. The grateful King bestowed the motto " Fortiter Defendit Triumphans " ("Triumphing by a brave defence") upon the town. Charles I was imprisoned in Newcastle by the Scots in 1646–7. Newcastle opened its first lunatic asylum in 1767. The asylum catered for people from the counties of Newcastle, Durham and Northumberland. The Newcastle Eccentrics of
8640-466: Was founded in 1963, followed by Newcastle Polytechnic in 1969; the latter received university status in 1992 and became the University of Northumbria at Newcastle (now known as Northumbria University ). Further efforts to preserve the city's historic past continued in the later 20th century, with the opening of Newcastle Military Vehicle Museum in 1983 and Stephenson Railway Museum in 1986. The Military Vehicle museum closed in 2006. New developments at
8736-602: Was low. In 1993, a property development and environmental enhancement program was started by Newcastle City Council and English Heritage . In 1996, Newcastle City Council, English Heritage and English Partnerships commissioned EDAW to produce a regeneration strategy for Grainger Town, intended to align the town with other major European regional capitals. The proposed project commenced in April 1997 and ended in March 2003, attracting over £174 million in funding, including £146 million from
8832-427: Was not limited to areas which saw population changes. Manchester in 1991 had a non-white population 7.5% higher than the national average, but Newcastle had a 1% smaller non-white population. Features of British urban decay analyzed by the Foundation included empty houses; widespread demolitions; declining property values; and low demand for all property types, neighborhoods, and tenures. Urban decay has been found by
8928-460: Was persuaded to sail a shipment of coal to Newcastle by merchants plotting to ruin him; however, his shipment arrived on the Tyne during a strike that had crippled local production, allowing him to turn a considerable profit. In the Sandgate area, to the east of the city, and beside the river, resided the close-knit community of keelmen and their families. They were so called because they worked on
9024-444: Was said to 'have found Newcastle of bricks and timber and left it in stone'. Of Grainger Town's 450 buildings, 244 are listed , of which 29 are grade I and 49 are grade II*. Grey's Monument , which commemorates Prime Minister Earl Grey and his Reform Act of 1832 , stands above Monument Metro Station and was designed and built by Edward Hodges Baily and Benjamin Green . Hodges, who also built Nelson's Column , designed and built
9120-544: Was the exception to the rule, and much of the north of England remains deprived. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation in the 1980s and 1990s undertook extensive studies culminating with a 1991 report which analyzed the 20 most difficult council estates. Many of the most unpopular estates were in East London , Newcastle upon Tyne , Greater Manchester , Glasgow , the South Wales valleys , and Liverpool, their unpopularity driven by
9216-479: Was to provide an urban housing project, where hundreds of families could socialize and create a community. The design included a public transportation rail station, and a park area between the two buildings. The planners wanted to create a small city model with parks, playing fields, and other facilities. However, various events, starting with the 1980 earthquake in Irpinia , led to urban decay inside this project and in
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