(i) Define the term environmental carrying capacity.

(ii) Define the term perceptual carrying capacity.

Referring to specific activities, analyse why the leisure facilities in a central business district (CBD) differ from those in the rural–urban fringe.

“Sport and recreation are an effective means of regeneration for urban areas.” Discuss this statement.

(i) The (maximum) number of people/visitors [1 mark] before the local environment/area becomes damaged/harmed [1 mark]. Accept alternative phrasing.

(ii) Award up to [2 marks] for any of the following:

• amount of people before the environment/area/activity is spoiled/not enjoyed by those people or others
• provides details of different user groups and their perceptions/feelings
• provides detail of specific issues linked to negative feelings eg noise, congestion.

Differences could include different types of activity or differences in the size, scale and target users of the facilities.

Award up to [2 marks] for the range of activities covered by the answer (should have at least two in each case). Typical facilities in a CBD could include cinemas, theatres, restaurants, museums, whereas the rural–urban fringe may contain specialist sports grounds, garden centres, multiplex cinema, country parks. Also credit rural activities eg mountaineering facilities, ski slopes, mountain biking facilities.

Award up to [4 marks] for an analysis of why differences exist. Likely reasons that can be identified for [1 mark] each include:

• high accessibility in CBD attracts activities requiring many visitors
• land prices are lower at fringe so attracts activities needing space (do not credit simply “more space”)
• CBD may be old, so home to historic visitor attractions
• younger people in CBD/older at fringes and this affects local facilities
• outdoor facilities linked with forest (eg paintballing), topography, etc
• clustering of activities in CBD where tourists gather
• high profits in CBD (due to high footfall) attract high threshold retailing (lower profit/not for profit at fringes).

Alternatively, two reasons, well explained (uses examples or concepts like threshold) would merit [4 marks].

Candidates may agree or disagree with this statement. Barcelona and Beijing are often given as good examples of how sport can help regenerate a city. The London 2012 Olympics is considered to be a major success in the regeneration of London’s East End whereas Atlanta and Athens may be examples of where sport has had less success. Other methods could be discussed, such as property-led regeneration, new retail developments, urban development corporations, provided they are legitimate spin-off effects from the initial investment in sport rather than entirely alternate strategies.

The effectiveness of some strategies may only be evident over the long-term, and it may not be possible to assess “effectiveness” in the case of recent case studies such as the 2012 London Olympics.

Different groups may have differing perspectives on whether the changes are “effective” for them or others, eg those displaced by gentrification or those who do not like the noisy visitors that sport can attract.

At band D, responses are likely to be descriptive and might only consider one side of the argument.

At band E, expect either a wider range of more detailed impacts of sports/recreation regeneration for urban areas or some more explicit discussion of effectiveness.

At band F, expect both.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

Candidates scored well in both areas, although some had difficulty in the precise definition of the terms environmental and perceptual carrying capacity.

There were many descriptive responses to this question, with little geographic analysis of the differences in provision of leisure facilities between the CBD and rural–urban fringe. Many candidates did not analyse why the differences exist, focusing merely on “lack of space”.

There were some good answers to this question, with effective use of case studies such as the London Olympics showing detailed case study knowledge. However, often the answers were descriptive with limited explicit discussion of the effectiveness of the strategies as a means of urban regeneration. Most responses looked only at one side of the argument and hence did not go beyond band D.