Suburbanisation

Four processes help explain Birmingham's development: urbanisation, suburbanisation, counter-urbanisation and re-urbanisation. They describe a broad sequence, not four completely separate periods. Different movements can occur at the same time.

Suburbanisation is the outward growth of towns and cities through the development of suburbs. New suburbs are mainly residential, but they also contain services and places of employment. Building densities are generally lower than in older parts of the settlement.

Suburbanisation is the outward movement of people and development from central urban areas to suburbs. Suburbs remain part of the town or city and generally have lower building densities than older central areas.