5'3 Why does urban

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5.3 Why does urban encroachment occur? What is
its impact?
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What is urban encroachment?
The urban population and economic activities
expand towards rural areas
The original rural land uses are converted into
urban land uses
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What are the phenomena of urban encroachment?
1 Building new towns



Tin Shui Wai
Fanling- Sheung Shui
Yuen Long

Tuen Mun
New Territories
Rapid rise in population
Increased demands for urban land
Rapid economic development

Tai Po

Tung Chung

Tseung Kwan O

Tsuen Wan

Sha Tin
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What are the phenomena of urban encroachment?
2 Developing low-density residential areas
Residential areas in the suburbs
Residential areas developed by private developers
Three-storey small houses are built by the
villagers
Reasons
Reasons
In the New Territories each male indigenous
villager is entitled to build a three-storey
small house
Land prices in rural areas are cheaper / more
expensive
Improved transport network
Far away from busy urban areas
Low population density
Fresh air
Self use
Attracted some poor / wealthy residents
Sell or lease to urban people
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What are the phenomena of urban encroachment?
How does the building of the new towns in the New
Territories affect the population distribution
pattern in Hong Kong?
About half of the population is now living in the
New Territories
Suburbanization
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What are the phenomena of urban encroachment?
3 Building transport networks
Build roads, expressways, tunnels and railways
Link up the various new towns, the airport and
the old urban areas
Transport facilities are built on rural land
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What are the phenomena of urban encroachment?
4 Building industrial estates
Rural areas have been converted into industrial
land use
Large industrial estates have been established
-Yuen Long Industrial Estate
-Tai Po Industrial Estate
-Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate
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Why does urban encroachment happen?
Push factors of the inner city
Pull factors of the suburbs

Pull factors of the suburbs
Push factors of the inner city
Good living environment
Poor living environment
Low land rent
High land rent
Peaceful life
Busy life
Well-developed transport networks
Traffic congestion
High potential for development
Lack of space for expansion
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What are the effects of urban encroachment on
rural areas?
1 Reduction in size of farmland
The size of farmland has reduced over
80
Expansion of urban areas has occurred in the
surrounding rural areas
1954
2001
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What are the effects of urban encroachment on
rural areas?
2 More abandoned land
Young people are unwilling to work as
and thus a lot of farmland has been abandoned
farmers
speculation
Abandoned land is being used as temporary
car-repair workshops or container storage space
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What are the effects of urban encroachment on
rural areas?
3 Pollution problems become more serious
Urban population and economic activities expand
into rural areas
Air, noise and water pollution
Traffic congestion
The natural environment of the suburbs is damaged
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What are the effects of urban encroachment on
rural areas?
4 Land use conflict
Build factories and shopping centres in the rural
areas
The pleasant environment in the rural areas is
damaged
Change the abandoned fields into car-repair
workshops and container storage space
The quality of living of nearby residents is
affected
Land use conflict
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What are the effects of urban encroachment on
rural areas?
5 Floods occur more frequently
Building houses and roads in rural areas
Floods will then easily occur in low-lying areas
during the wet season
Disrupt the drainage of water
Sand and mud may be washed into channels or
streams during construction work
Crop failure
Cause blockages
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What are the effects of urban encroachment on
rural areas?
6 Changes in lifestyle
Disturb the simple and peaceful rural lifestyle
People moving to rural areas often bring with
them their fast-paced urban lifestyle
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What are the effects of urban encroachment on
rural areas?
7 Damage of the natural environment
Fill fish ponds
How does urban encroachment destroy the natural
environment?
Develop hill slopes
Cut down trees
Damage wildlife habitat and threaten the survival
of animals
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What are the effects of urban encroachment on
rural areas?
8 Increased land prices
Demand for suburban land increases, the price of
land in the rural-urban fringe increases
Farmers who want to continue farm production will
have to face higher production costs
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The end