ABSTRACT
A number of global and national social, economic and political forces influence the geography of British cities including Glasgow. The greatest challenge, however, is how to alleviate the social, economic and environmental deprivation experienced by the large populations living in Glasgow’s disadvantaged housing estates. Accessibility to facilities such as schools and hospitals contributes to people’s welfare or “real income” and is a key determinant of their quality of life. In recent years Glasgow has been confronted with the problem of maintaining public services in the face of a declining population and reducing ability to pay for past levels of provision. A review undertaken by Strathclyde Regional Council in 1988 recommended the closure of four non-denominational and three Catholic secondary schools in Glasgow. Many parts of the countryside around Glasgow have come under pressure for residential development as a result of the centrifugal movement of population from inner urban to peripheral greenfield sites.
