INDUSTRIAL CHANGE IN THE UK

What is DE-INDUSTRIALISATION?

• De-industrialisation: is the continued decline in the relative importance of manufacturing industry resulting in a sharp reduction in its percentage share of the total workforce.

• Manufacturing industries such as shipbuilding, heavy engineering, steel and textiles have suffered most in the UK.

Areas of de-industrialisation

• Industrial change had occurred in many parts of the MEDW, mostly in the old coalfields such as South Wales and northeast England where the heavy traditional industries that were established e.g. shipbuilding, have been in decline for many years.

• New manufacturing industries which produce consumer goods were later established in the main centres of population.

EFFECTS OF DE-INDUSTRIALISATION

• Since the 1960s, de-industrialisation has been recognised and is the rapid decline in the primary/secondary sectors of a country’s economy. Reasons for the decline are:

• Mechanisation• Working Practices• Economic Recession worldwide• Political Factors• Global Overproduction• Competition.

Steel Industry in Consett, County Durham

• Steel-making in Consett began in 1840 and by the late 1880s the Consett site was responsible for 10% of the nations steel production.

• The steel works closed in 1980 due to economic grounds where it was transferred to cost efficient regions.

• Closure resulted in the loss of 4,000 jobs and male unemployment grew to 30%.

AREAS OF EXPANDING MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

New industries have since been developed in the UK mostly in electronics and computer industries where there is:

• A well qualified labour force;• Proximity to universities for research and skilled labour;• Good national and international communications;• A pleasant environment (good scenery = more work);• Government incentives to assisted areas;

Case Study: CAMBRIDGE SCIENCE PARK

Cambridge Science Park is the first and biggest science park in the UK and is on the edge of the university city. There are over 700 hi-tech companies within the Cambridge region (“Silicon Fen”) which employ over 20,000 people.

Reasons for the location:• Very pleasant environment• Next to the leading university• Hi-tech community with qualified people• Easy transport links

– 50 mins from London– Stansted Airport nearby– Access by train

• Good services in area