COUNTERURBANISATION SCENE INVESTIGATION

Apparently people across the UK have been leaving towns and cities to live

in more rural areas!eh?eh?It’s a phenomenon

that YOU must investigate! I want to know who, when,

where and why!

AIM OF INVESTIGATIONAIM OF INVESTIGATION

It’s important that you remember this aim when you visit the scene and when you compile your

report!

AIM:AIM: To find out if Moira has To find out if Moira has experienced counterurbanisationexperienced counterurbanisation

SUSPECT PROFILE : age?SUSPECT PROFILE : age?

TooToo Old! Old! TooToo Young! Young!

Profile Age: Profile Age: Married Couples With ChildrenMarried Couples With Children

In some cases old In some cases old people do people do counterurbaise when counterurbaise when they retire, but this they retire, but this is not what has been is not what has been reported in Moirareported in Moira

SUSPECT PROFILE :SUSPECT PROFILE :Socio-economic groupSocio-economic group

Lower Socio-economic Groups Lower Socio-economic Groups Cannot Afford Expensive Housing Cannot Afford Expensive Housing

or Commuting Costor Commuting Cost

Migrants are likely to be Migrants are likely to be professional or managerial!professional or managerial!

MORPHOLOGYMORPHOLOGY

In other cases our boys in the Lab, I mean Lib, have even been able to date the changes in

morphology to the last few decades.

We believe this is because of an increase in personal mobility - that means people could afford their own get-away cars allowing them to commute

more easily!

eh?eh?Morphology refers to the size and shape of a

settlement, it can most easily be seen from maps!MOIRA

Arrival of migrants to a village such as Moira will obviously cause it to increase in size!

SCENESCENE

There are There are twotwo main main types of residential types of residential

areas in Moiraareas in Moira

Older Older AreasAreasNew New

DevelopmentsDevelopments

LargerLarger SmallerSmaller

Big Big GardensGardens

Less Less ParkingParking

More More ExpensiveExpensive

Garages & Garages & Large Large

DrivewaysDriveways

Small or Small or No GardenNo Garden

Less Less ExpensiveExpensiveWhere do you suspect the

migrants might have moved to?

LOCATION: MoiraLOCATION: Moira

Moira is a prime target Moira is a prime target for counterurbanisation!for counterurbanisation!

Due to its excellent Due to its excellent transport links into transport links into Belfast and other Belfast and other large settlements!large settlements!

M1M1 RailRail

MOTIVEMOTIVEBut Transport isn’t But Transport isn’t the only pull factor the only pull factor

Moira has for Moira has for migrants!migrants!

As well as good transport…As well as good transport…

Moria is an attractive Moria is an attractive scenic villagescenic village

Basic goods and Basic goods and services availableservices available

Quiet, Safe, Spacious Quiet, Safe, Spacious HousingHousing

MOTIVEMOTIVE

It is not only the It is not only the attractions of Moira attractions of Moira that might encourage that might encourage

people to people to counterurbanise there.counterurbanise there.

They choose They choose to leave the to leave the city due to a city due to a

number of number of Push Factors.Push Factors.

GETTING EVIDENCEGETTING EVIDENCE

You will want to dip into You will want to dip into the map archives to the map archives to

analyse morphology, using analyse morphology, using maps of different ages. maps of different ages.

Then it’s a matter of Then it’s a matter of hitting the beat to hitting the beat to gather some primary gather some primary

data from the people on data from the people on the ground. the ground.

You will want to ask You will want to ask questions about questions about

residents’ employment and residents’ employment and age to determine if they age to determine if they fit our migrant profile. fit our migrant profile.

Obviously you will also Obviously you will also need to interrogate them need to interrogate them

about where they about where they previously lived to see previously lived to see if it was an urban or if it was an urban or

rural area.rural area.

What age are the residents?What age are the residents?Roughly where did you live before moving to MoiraRoughly where did you live before moving to MoiraWhat is the occupation of the main breadwinner?What is the occupation of the main breadwinner?

Finally open your eyes and Finally open your eyes and ears! They are the two ears! They are the two

best tools an investigator best tools an investigator has, along with his trusty has, along with his trusty

notebook of course.notebook of course.

Survey the environment and Survey the environment and make notes to help explain make notes to help explain

the results of your the results of your questioning! Photographic questioning! Photographic evidence of the scene is evidence of the scene is also useful to back up also useful to back up

your case!your case!

QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGNQUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN

Some advice on Some advice on questioning. Firstly, be questioning. Firstly, be

polite - you are much more polite - you are much more likely to get helpful likely to get helpful

answers. Only if they are answers. Only if they are really awkward can you really awkward can you punk them up a bit!punk them up a bit!

Next, keep your questions Next, keep your questions short, clear and simple! short, clear and simple! Don’t ask extremely long Don’t ask extremely long complicated questions or complicated questions or really general questions, really general questions,

be specific!be specific!Leading questions are Leading questions are also bad, aren’t they?also bad, aren’t they?

Decide whether you want Decide whether you want to use open or closed to use open or closed

questions.questions.Open questions are good Open questions are good because allow a wide because allow a wide

range of answers to be range of answers to be given.given.

Whereas closed questions Whereas closed questions allow the person to allow the person to choose from certain choose from certain

categories which makes categories which makes them easier to analyse.them easier to analyse.