Leicester urban area

The Leicester Urban Area or Leicester Built Up Area is an urban agglomeration defined by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), centred on the City of Leicester in the English Midlands. With a population of 508,916 at the time of the 2011 census, the Built Up Area is the eleventh largest in England and thirteenth largest in the United Kingdom. It comprises Leicester itself and its suburbs, all of which are contiguous with, or situated in close proximity to, the city.

As at 2011 the Leicester Urban Area was home to 51.8% of total the population of Leicestershire (2001: 48.5%). This percentage may to rise to some 52%-55% by 2021 given Office of National Statistics (ONS) forecast growth rates. This assumes relatively moderate increases in the population of the Leicester Urban Area of between 8.6% and 14.9% for the decade to 2021 (cf. growth rate 2001-2011: 15.3%).

It is worth noting that Leicester City Council states on its website (September 2017) that "The greater Leicester urban area is one of the fastest growing in the country, with a population of about 650,000, of which 350,000 live within the city council area".

Analysis: 2011

Leicester Urban Area or 'built-up area' in 2011 (Leicester^ONS - darker grey shading) showing subdivisions and city border.

Leicester Urban Area 2011 Census
Urban subdivision	Population
Leicester ONS	City & Inner Suburbs in detail   City 329,283 Leicester UNITARY 329,839 *less Ashton Green 556   Inner suburbs 114,477 Wigston 32,321 Oadby 23,849 Braunstone Town 16,850 Thurmaston 9,668 Glenfield 9,109 Leicester Forest East 6,719 Glen Parva 6,189 Kirby Muxloe 4,667 Thurnby and Bushby 3,301 Scraptoft 1,804	City & Inner Suburbs 443,760
Narborough / Enderby	12,996	Outer Suburbs 65,156
Syston	12,804
Blaby / Whetstone	12,760
Birstall	12,216
Groby	6,782
Cosby	3,506
Queniborough	2,326
Littlethorpe	1,766
Total		508,916
Change % from 2001		15.3%

Analysis: 2001

Map of the Leicester Urban Area {2001}.

Leicester Urban Area 2001 Census
Urban subdivision	Population
Leicester ONS	City & Inner Suburbs in detail   City 273,758 Leicester UNITARY 279,921 *less Beaumont Leys (see below) 5,579 *less Ashton Green 584   Inner Suburbs 56,816 Braunstone Town 14,981 Syston 11,608 Thurmaston 8,945 Glenfield 9,193 Glen Parva 5,902 Thurnby and Bushby 3,147 Scraptoft 1,521 Leicester Forest East 1,519	City & Inner Suburbs 330,574
Wigston	33,116	Outer Suburbs 110,639
Oadby	22,679
Blaby / Whetstone	12,263
Birstall	11,480
Kirby Muxloe	9,500
Groby	6,256
Beaumont Leys	5,579
Ratby	3,862
Cosby	3,647
Queniborough	2,257
Total		441,213
Change % from 1991		5.8%

Analysis: 1991

Leicester Urban Area 1991 Census
Urban subdivision	Population
Leicester ONS	City & Inner Suburbs in detail   City 270,493 Leicester UNITARY   Inner Suburbs 48,025	City & Inner Suburbs 318,518
Wigston	32,864	Outer Suburbs 98,083
Oadby	18,538
Birstall	11,770
Kirby Muxloe	7,780
Groby	7,183
Blaby	6,538
Whetstone	4,032
Ratby	3,601
Cosby	3,390
Queniborough	2,387
Total		416,601

Notes:
The Leicester ^ONS sub-totals are explained with reference to the following:

• For 2011, there have been certain reclassifications from 'outer' to 'inner suburbs' thus contributing to the increase in population of Leicester ^ONS compared to 1991/2001.
• The ONS's definition of "Leicester" in the 2001 census excluded the suburb of Beaumont Leys, which was counted separately, and amalgamated several surrounding towns and villages. Its boundaries and population were not the same as that of the Leicester ^UNITARY, which had a separate population of 279,921 at the 2001 Census and includes Beaumont Leys. See 2001 Leicester ^ONS analysis.
• Ongoing refinements in methodology between the two census dates meant that contiguous suburbs, external to the city boundaries and which were subdivided in 2001, were merged into the 2011 Leicester ^ONS figure. These, along with infilling at the margins, also accounted for the removal of Ratby and the addition of new subdivisions.
• 2001/2011 Leicester ^ONS figures do not include the Ashton Green/Glebelands/Thurcaston Park development (containing 556 residents in 2011). Although within the city boundaries, this incipient addition is in effect a satellite village given that there is 'green separation'. This categorisation is likely to change as future residential expansion planned around the development, converges towards Beaumont Leys and Birstall; both part of the urban area/BUA.

The Kirby Muxloe 1991/2001 figure includes the portion of Leicester Forest East which is to the west of the M1 motorway. The eastern section is part of the Leicester ^ONS subdivision, and is listed separately in the 2001 table.

Although Stoughton is shown as a small leg of the urban area, its figures are not counted.

See also

• List of settlements in Leicestershire by population
• List of urban areas in the United Kingdom
• List of metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom
• City Regions (United Kingdom; North, West and North Sussex-super-Mare)

External links

• Scalable Office for National Statistics map of the 2011 Leicester Urban Area
• Office for National Statistics: Census 2001 - Table KS01 (Usual resident population)
• Office for National Statistics: Census 2001 - Maps and index to urban areas