Cities - Decentralisation of retailing

Over recent years there has been a trend where shopping has moved from town centres to outer areas of cities and towns.

Causes

• Increased car ownership so people can drive to shops
• High parking prices in city centres
• Cheaper to build retail parks out of town
• Increased road building

Impacts on city centres

Positive

• Investment to improve the centre and attract customers like building pedestrian crossings
• Reduction of congestion and air pollution

Negative

• Hard to compete so shops might close causing job losses
• Services will also close with a reduction of people visiting the city centre 
• General decline of the area

Impacts on rural-urban fringe

Positive

• Create jobs for people in the suburbs
• Can be build on brownfield sites
• Houses close by may increase in value

Negative

• Require a lot of construction
• Congestion on the way to shopping centres especially at peak times