1. Industry Growth and Decline in South Wales By Sarah Medley and Phoebe Cross

2. Why did South Wales develop to become a centre for the iron and steel industry? South Wales developed to become a centre of iron and steel industry because the Iron and Steel industry is influenced by access to raw materials: On coal fields On Iron Ore Fields On the coast for imports and exports There are many factors that affect the location of industry. The type of industry will determine which factors will influence the location. For example industries which use heavy and bulky materials will locate close to the raw materials. An iron and steel works will locate close to iron ore and coal. If the raw materials are imported, a coastal location may be chosen.

3. Port Talbot has become one of the largest iron and steel factories in the UK. Why was this site selected? What are it’s key location factors? This is Port Talbot In the past iron and steel factories were located close to raw materials such as iron and coal. They are now mostly located close to deep-water ports. Why have the changes occurred? Raw materials have become exhausted. Raw materials are now imported from other countries. Deepwater ports needed as raw materials are transported using bulk carriers Close to water needed in the cooling process Location factors: Access to markets Skilled labour Foreign investment Government Initiatives

4. What types of industries would most likely benefit from locating close to steel works. Industries that would benefit from locating close to steel works would be: Car Production Manufacturing Traditional industries have declined, but varied modern and high- technology ventures are being developed. There are oil refineries and open-cast coal mining. Wales has the largest concentration of Japanese-owned plants in the UK. Boc Gas Works, Port Talbot, South Wales

5. Coal in South Wales is now difficult to mine and many coalmines have closed. Illustrate this rapid closure programme and explain how this affected unemployment in South Wales? Changes in the location of manufacturing industry have led to industrial decline in many parts of Britain. This is especially true of regions that depended on one or two traditional industries. For two hundred years South Wales specialized in the production of coal, iron and steel. The town in the region grew up in valleys on the coalfield. At the beginning of the twentieth century, coal-mining employed more people than any other industry in South Wales. Parts of the coalfield were also a source of iron ore, the raw material from which iron and steel are made. Ironworks, and later steelworks, were built close to the towns in the valleys. In more recent years, as iron ore ran out and coal became more difficult to mine, steel works have moved to the cost where raw materials could be imported. South Wales is still one of Britain’s main steel-producing regions, but nearly all the coal mines have gone. This led to an increase in unemployment in the region.

6. This is a table to show unemployment,closure of coal mines and the year.you can see that coal mines were the main occupation in south Wales.

7. What action has been taken by governments to rectify the high unemployment experienced in South Wales? The problems caused by industrial decline have long been recognised by the British government. In regions that have suffered the worst problems, development areas have been set up to attract new industry. In Scotland and Wales the government set up development agencies. The Welsh Development Agency has built new industrial estates to provide ready-built factories for companies moving to the region. lo rents and rates are charged as an extra incentive to relocate. The building of the Severn Bridge, and the extension of the M4 motorway into South Wales, has given companies good access to markets throughout Britain and Europe.Recent Industrial growth was one of the reasons that a second bride across the River Severn was opened in 1996.

8. What types of indusries have been attracted to South Wales? What has attracted these new industries to South Wales? The things that have attracted the new industries to South Wales are these following points: Decentralising government offices. Improving communications and accessibility Subsidies to keep firms going which other wise would close down. Retraining schemes. Job creation, Manpower creation Schemes and Youth training schemes. Enterprise Zones. Assistance from the EC. Some of the indusries are: Washing Machines, Engines, T.Vs and batteries.

9. What effects has this development had on unemployment in South Wales? The new development was put in an area where many people at the time were out of work and needed jobs. The effect of the development has given more people jobs meaning that unemployment has decreased.