Urban redevelopment and urban renewal are linked to population change. When people leave inner-city areas and move to suburbs, old buildings can be redeveloped completely, changing their purpose from residential to commercial.
Urban renewal is stimulated when people wish to remain living in inner-city areas that may have become run down. This puts pressure on local governments to renew buildings and to develop amenities (facilities) needed for the community.
Case Study: Urban Redevelopment and Renewal in Smithfield
Smithfield is located in north inner-city Dublin. Once one of the poorest areas in Dublin, experiencing high levels of urban decay, it became an area targeted for massive urban renewal and redevelopment. The area underwent significant commercial and residential development. This led to it becoming newly fashionable in the first decade of the twenty-first century.
Managing information and thinking
Go to the RTÉ Archives website, www.rte.ie/archives, click on ‘Search’ and look up ‘Urban Renewal in Smithfield Square’. Watch the video and then answer the following questions regarding the renewal plan for Smithfield:
1. What was Smithfield Market known for? 2. What four areas of Smithfield did the plan focus on? 3. What concerns did the existing residents have for any planned redevelopment of the area?
Question Time 1. Explain the key differences between urban redevelopment and urban renewal.
2. Using one of the urban areas discussed in this chapter, explain how urban redevelopment/ renewal has benefitted the area and the people living there.