Why Brownfield?
The term Brownfield Site refers to land that is or was occupied by a permanent structure, which has become vacant, underused or derelict and has the potential for redevelopment.
Additionally there are cases where the remnants of a structure, such as a barn, become so well integrated into the land that they are no longer considered a separate structure and thus not classified brownfield.
The level of brownfield land in the UK is constantly changing as land is reclaimed and abandoned. Up until the 1980s the level of brownfield land had been increasing at a dramatic rate but later there was an enormous need for and lack of suitable development land and since then land reclamation initiatives have capped these levels.
In the document "Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing” published in 2000, the Government pledged to build more houses on brownfield sites. In the process, new local authority compliance targets for brownfield land development were put into place which placed greater emphasis on building at higher densities, to better standards and in more sustainable locations.
Government has spoken. Now it’s up to local authorities to do the hard work
A “local delivery vehicle” might sound quaint and unthreatening – like a milk truck or a taxi – but this is one of the means by which the Government is bribing your local council to force more homes into your area.
The Government is determined not to be seen to be building on green belt land, so it is promising incentives, money and development opportunities to local authorities that “find” brownfield land on which to build 70,000 new affordable homes each year.
Some of these will be in the quaint villages and towns where opposition to development is generally strongest. These unspoilt areas are so beloved of those who own second homes that the opportunities for people on low wages are dire. Thus, relief should be at hand for cash-strapped buyers in areas around Holdsworthy in Devon, St Miniver in Cornwall, Buckland Newton in Dorset, Worth Matravers in Dorset, Carhampton and Withycombe in Somerset, Bishops Castle in Shropshire and Chipping in Lancashire.
But almost every authority will feel the squeeze. Towns that have already volunteered for expansion – such as Milton Keynes, Ashford and the Thames Gateway area – must find space for even more homes. The same applies for the 29 “new growth points”, such as Truro, Swindon, Coventry and Norwich.
These growth areas have been encouraged by extra funding for services and help with economic development – or, according to the Government, “extra cash for housing hotspots”. But there are likely to be towns in the North that were not invited into the scheme until today that will be willing to take the money on offer.
But this will not be enough to prevent every local authority from having to revisit their regional spatial strategies and revise them to, somehow, include more homes. If they manage to do so, they can expect more cash from government for services and infrastructure. If they don’t, their planning decisions are liable to be overturned.
The Government is being true to its word in forcing organisations such as the Highways Agency to surrender spare land. This will find its way into the local authorities’ portfolios and ease the burden.
But it will be too little consolation when local councillors or planners find themselves caught on the hard edge of a Nimby’s placard.
The Times 27 07 2007
Enough brownfield land for 1 million homes
Existing stocks of brownfield land could provide building space for up to 1 million new homes in England, the government said. The department for communities and local government claimed its statistics demonstrated there was enough land for 400, 000 of the new homes in the south-east- where demand is the highest. The DCLG said 74% of new developments were currently built on previously used land and there was an 11% fall in the amount of land left derelict or vacant compared with 5 years ago.
Press Association Financial Times 30 08 2006
MPs voice concern over planning policy for brownfield development
"More than one hundred MPs from all political parties have urged ministers not to change their policy on housing development, which currently requires the use of brownfield sites before greenfield ones are considered" (Government planning portal) more»
“John Prescott, the deputy prime minister, assured the committee (committee for housing, planning, local government and the regions) the government was committed to promoting housing development on Brownfield sites. But the MP’s said they were “very disappointed” that local planning authorities were not being given the strong powers they needed to force developers to use such sites”.
Financial Times 20 06 2006
“The Home Builders federation backed the report’s conclusions on increased housing output but said that the industry had “shown that it can work with planning policies that favour Brownfield development”
Financial Times 27 06 2006
“Land investment offers the individual to make significant returns on their investments and with finance packages offered by some companies this can be done for as little as £50 per week”
27 06 2006
“Homebuilders Barratt built some 14,350 homes last year, accounting for one in 11 of Britain's new homes, with more than 85% of them on Brownfield land. Boss David Pretty wants the Government to raise its national Brownfield target from 60% to 65% of all new developments, with a fast track planning process for regenerating industrial land.
Evening Standard 6/12/2005
Rural house prices are rising but there has been a fall in the number of new affordable homes being built. The National Housing Federation has told the government's Affordable Rural Housing Commission that the situation is now critical.
27 November, 2005
Plans to build 3,600 new homes are being blocked because a council believes more use should be made of available "Brownfield" sites.
29 October, 2005
“Turn Brownfield housing sites into living, breathing communities, where people are proud to belong"
John Prescott M.P. 11 December, 2005
As Devon's house prices continue to rise, they are outstripping the incomes of many in the countryside. For young people leaving the parental home, the only option is often to move away - leaving a gap in the community. Creating affordable housing has become one of the key issues in rural policy.
21st May, 2002
A decision by Plymouth City Council to build more homes on Brownfield sites has prompted environmentalists to call for Exeter to follow suit.
29 December, 2001
All references and quotes are sourced from the official website of the BBC UK