The diverse geographies of rural gentrification in Scotland

Abstract

Gentrification has for too long been investigated as an urban phenomenon. Only relatively recently has it been viewed as an avenue for fruitful rural research. This paper focuses on the repopulation of rural Scotland. Using survey and interview data it examines evidence of gentrification among in-migration flows and seeks to explore both the social transformation of rural areas and the social displacement of rural residents.

The findings point towards important geographical variations. Not all in-migration represents gentrification, and where it does gives rise to very differing impacts. Clear spatial divisions in the local housing market are identified, and evidence is obtained to support a number of differing theoretical debates. Issues of social displacement and population replacement are explored, with the paper tentatively suggesting an important link between urban and rural gentrification processes. Finally, temporal and geographical phases of gentrification are identified. Collectively these findings have direct relevance to how we define gentrification.

Introduction

Rural gentrification represents an emerging research agenda. As a concept it is much less understood than its urban counterpart, which itself has been much debated in the academic literature. However, one could argue that the literature on rural migration, and specifically counterurbanisation, has indirectly been investigating rural gentrification for some time but has largely failed to make this explicit conceptual link. Indeed the term gentrification is reported (Redfern, 2003) to invoke a rural imagery. It is now more than thirty years since the redistribution of national populations in favour of less urbanised and more rural areas was first identified in many western countries (Berry, 1978, Fielding, 1989, Rees et al., 1996). Key features of this counterurbanisation phenomenon include increasing residential mobility, countryside lifestyle preferences, and the involvement of highly educated, qualified and affluent – that is, middle-class – migrants. Indeed many authors allege that rural places are becoming the preserve of affluent new middle-class incomers (Cloke et al., 1995) with Phillips (1998) reporting a colonisation of rural areas by professional and managerial service classes. Hoggart, 1997, Hoggart, 1998 disputes this view claiming that middle class-dominance in the countryside has been exaggerated and, in doing so, sparked a debate with Abram, 1998, Abram, 1999. Other, essentially negative, consequences of counterurbanisation are also reported: rising rural house prices and associated issues of local affordability (Gilligan, 1987, Shucksmith, 1981); a commuting rural population who contribute little to the rural economy or society (Glyn-Jones, 1979); a tendency by incomers to takeover the running of local activities/events (Murdoch and Day, 1998); and the emergence of nimby-ism (Murdoch and Marsden, 1994). Similar detrimental effects were also commonly reported in early gentrification studies (Slater, 2006).

This paper focuses on the possible gentrification of the Scottish countryside. It explores empirical data for evidence of gentrification among rural in-migration flows and in particular seeks to unravel the processes in terms of migrant/gentrifier decision-making and associated consequences. The findings have relevance to contemporary debates on gentrification, which are introduced (alongside their rural parallels) in the following section. There then follows an explanation of the research methodology, before embarking on a discussion of the main findings. The final section of the paper highlights how gentrification of the Scottish countryside can inform contemporary theoretical debate.