The changing face of British cities by 2020

At least a dozen British towns and cities will have no single ethnic group in a majority within the next 30 years. Leicester will become the first ’super-diverse’ city in 2020, then Birmingham in 2024, followed by Slough and Luton, according to a new study of population trends in the UK.

The report reveals that Leicester has seen the proportion of its white population fall from 70.1 per cent in 1991 to 59.5 per cent today. By 2016 the white population will make up 52.2 per cent of the population, falling to 44.5 per cent by 2026. ‘Britain is becoming ever more plural; our diversity ever more diverse,’ said Danny Dorling, professor of human geography at the University of Sheffield, whose predictions are based on the most comprehensive study into the country’s population trends. ‘This increased diversity is most evident in its cities, with plurality becoming commonplace.’

The immigrant and ethnic populations are no longer characterised by large, well organised Afro-Caribbean and South Asian communities, said Dorling. Instead, increasing numbers come from countries scattered across the globe - from Germany to Guyana, from Sweden to Singapore.

‘It is going to become increasingly difficult to generalise about Britain’s plurality because different cities are experiencing different levels and types of diversity,’ he said. ‘This creates a complex challenge for those responsible for successfully managing the country’s changing population.’

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The changing face of British cities by 2020
Guardian Unlimited