Stephen Essex

Olympic Games: Catalyst of urban change

The Olympic Games have emerged as a significant catalyst of urban change and can act as a key instrument of urban policy for their host cities. This paper reviews the effect of the Games on the built environment of the various cities which have acted as hosts in the modern Olympic period (1896–1996) and assesses the preparations now being made for the Games in Sydney in the year 2000. The review indicates that the Games have been increasingly used as a trigger for a wide range of urban improvements, although there have been considerable variations in the scale of infrastructural investment and in the public-private sector mix.

Tourism and sustainable water supply in Mallorca: a geographical analysis

Abstract Problems of sustainability of water supply in tourist resorts are becoming an increasingly common and important issue in applied geography and environmental management. This paper examines the relationships between tourism and water supply on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, discussing both the scale of the problem and recent measures to find a solution, particularly the proposed Hydrological Plan for the Balearic Islands (published in 1998/9). Since Mallorca lies in an area likely to be seriously affected by future climate change, its potential effects are discussed and evaluated. One of the most critical problems relates to the coarse spatial resolution of general circulation models for predicting precipitation in an area where precipitation regimes grade steeply from semi-arid to humid temperate. However, it is likely that a continuation of the marked inter-annual and decadal-scale variability in precipitation seen during the recent past probably poses a greater threat to Mallorca’s water supply than the more gradual, progressive change typically predicted to accompany future global warming. Similarly, continued over-exploitation of coastal aquifers will be more critical to water quality issues than the direct impacts of any future sea level rise, although the latter would undoubtedly exacerbate these effects. The conclusion discusses the controversial new ecotasa (‘ecotax’), due to be imposed on Mallorca’s tourist industry in 2002, which is likely to represent only a partial solution to the long-term water supply problem. As the physical, cultural and economic environments of Mallorca are typical of much of the Mediterranean region, the implications of this issue extend well beyond the island’s shores.

Mega‐sporting events in urban and regional policy: a history of the Winter Olympics

‘Mega‐events’, such as the Olympic Games, have emerged as an important tool of urban and regional renewal through their ability to justify redevelopment and enhancement, attract inward investment, promote tourism and create new images for host cities. This paper complements previous research into the urban effects of the Summer Games by focusing on the infrastructural legacy of hosting the Winter Games, 1924–2002. The discussion concentrates upon the growing intensity of the intra‐urban competition to host the event and identifies four phases in the changing infrastructural implications of staging the Games. As a component of urban and regional policy, the Winter Olympics present both major risks and clear opportunities for the effective transformation of host centres.

The Emergence of Post-Suburban Landscapes on the North Coast of New South Wales: A Case Study of Contested Space

Since 1980, population trends in Australia have indicated new patterns of urbanization involving substantial growth not only in the dominant conurbations, but also in suburban areas and in an extensive coastal zone (Paris, 1994). Comparisons can be made with the emergence of post-suburban forms and processes in other parts of the world (Kling et. al., 1991). The principal aim of this paper is to present an analysis of some of the major local development conflicts and planning and environmental protection issues that are being faced by developers, planners and local communities as the urban restructuring of Australia takes place. The paper draws on evidence of urbanization on the upper North Coast of New South Wales and provides a detailed examination of two shires in the region - Ballina and Byron - where a study was carried out by the authors in 1994 and 1995. Previous research on the population and development trends in Australia is reviewed to provide a context within which the patterns in New South Wales and its North Coast may be placed, and a discussion is presented of the implications of new development with reference to Ballina Shire and Byron Shire. The usefulness of the postfordist model as an explanatory framework for examining these post-suburban landscapes and contested space issues on the North Coast of NSW is also explored. Copyright Joint Editors and Blackwell Publishers Ltd 1997.

Restructuring in tourism: the accommodation sector in a major British coastal resort

This paper examines the restructuring of tourist accommodation in a major British coastal resort through a case study of Torbay, Devon. The extent and nature of restructuring is established through an examination of business failures, conversions to alternative uses and investment in new facilities. The motivations and influences on the decision-making underpinning the restructuring process are related to competitive and defensive strategies adopted by the owners and managers of accommodation businesses. A small core of businesses have apparently made no discernible response to the pressures of restructuring, and it is argued that the existence of such inertia represents a significant issue for studies of the longer term development and realignment of resort economies. Copyright

Vision, vested interest and pragmatism: who re‐made Britain’s blitzed cities?

For many British cities, the received history of post‐war reconstruction, accepted rather uncritically by succeeding generations, suggests a fairly swift and harmonious development and implementation of a plan, driven forward by one or two key individuals such as a city engineer, a main planner and, perhaps, a lord mayor. Such suspiciously tidy versions of post‐war history have had high visibility and have been hard to challenge. This paper utilizes the theory of actor networks to reveal new insights into the reconstruction of Plymouth by evaluating the mismatch between the intentions set out in post‐war urban reconstruction plans and their actual implementation. Using a rich but neglected archive of evidence in Plymouth, one of Britain’s most badly bombed cities, a chronology of the dynamic interactions of the network(s) involved in devising and realizing the 1943 Plan for Plymouth is reconstructed. The discussion illustrates that, while the formulation of the plan itself, with its radical and ambitious proposals, was the work of a relatively small elite network, its implementation drew in other much larger groups of actors and interests. The interactions and tensions amongst the players in these bigger networks led to significant compromises and, ultimately, there was a mismatch between the original vision and the reality that was delivered.

SUSTAINABLE HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AT VISITED HERITAGE SITES IN DEVON AND CORNWALL

Sustainability is a key challenge facing society in the twenty-first century, although its implementation at heritage sites can present some significant challenges for the custodians. This paper investigates progress in the adoption of sustainable practices in the management of a sample of 416 heritage properties and sites in Devon and Cornwall. The findings are based on the compilation of an inventory of selected heritage resources; an extensive questionnaire survey of managers of historic houses, churches and museums, which investigated the extent of, and opinions about, sustainable management approaches; and targeted, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with a small number of heritage managers that probed key issues in greater depth. The results indicate that very few heritage sites produce sufficient surpluses to facilitate investment in sustainable practices that might ultimately enhance their financial viability and fund enhanced conservation activities. It is argued that future strategies for the management of heritage resources must therefore not only deal with capacity-building, such as access to information and training on sector-specific sustainable management, but also address institutional factors governing heritage in the UK, such as strategic leadership, the most effective models for governance and funding mechanisms for sustainability, and the creation of local and regional heritage networks.

The potential impact of the channel tunnel on Devon and Cornwall

Abstract Most Channel Tunnel impact studies have been concerned with the effect of a fixed link on the core region of southeast England. This paper examines how the Channel fixed link could influence the more peripheral regions of the UK, with particular reference to Devon and Cornwall. Focus is concentrated on the implications for the port and tourist industries in the far southwest.

Boldness diminished? The post-war battle to replan a bomb-damaged provincial city

The retreat from bold reconstruction planning in Britains blitzed cities is now well established, although there are two notable exceptions: Coventry and Plymouth. While the circumstances in Coventry have been fully researched, the narrative in Plymouth remains untold. The aim of this article is therefore to evaluate the main formal measures required to embark on the comprehensive redevelopment of Plymouths heavily blitzed core area and whether, despite Whitehalls failure to deliver the necessary legal and administrative powers in a timely and co-ordinated manner, the city maintained its faith in bold plans and planners.

Ecological effects of afforestation: a case study of Burrator, Dartmoor

Abstract Intensively managed coniferous afforestation schemes cause profound changes to the components of an ecosystem. This paper reviews the ecological effects of afforestation around Burrator Reservoir, Dartmoor (1916–1990). The human management decisions concerning the development of the plantations are considered, together with the ecological consequences. This research shows that the less intensive management regime for the forests at Burrator has resulted in a woodland ecosystem with a more complicated structure than might have been expected from a more intensively managed scheme. An assessment of the potential changes to forest management following water privatization is also made, together with a consideration of the possible ecological impacts.