Brownfield Sites

What is a Brownfield Site?

A brownfield site is a piece of land which has previously been built on. 

Brownfield land is usually considered to be land that is not presently in use either fully or partly.

Types of Brownfield Land

Brownfield sites come in many different types and may have been previously used for industrial, commercial, residential or retail use. 

Examples of brownfield sites include land which has formerly been a factory, steelworks, mining site, power station or military site.

Advantages for Property Developers

Brownfield land offers a number of advantages, especially for builders, developers and investors.

Brownfield sites are often in urban areas – places where there is a need for more development land.

Brownfield sites are often cheap to buy. 

Brownfield sites often have services already on site. 

Good infrastructure is often already available on brownfield land in the form of roads, rail and public transport.  

Brownfield land is sometimes part of a regeneration zone or development zone. There might be grants or financial incentives available from public bodies to help with the cost of remediating and developing it.

It is sometimes easier to get planning permission for a brownfield site compared to a greenfield site. 

Development schemes for brownfield land are often less likely to receive objections, as very often local people want to see these sites improved.

The Disadvantages

Despite its advantages, brownfield land has a number of disadvantages from a planning and development point of view.

Brownfield sites are sometimes in locations that are not very attractive for housing development. For example, in commercial or industrial areas.

Some brownfield land is in ex-industrial towns and cities or even rural areas where land values are low. It may not be economically viable to develop the site given the low capital value of the finished development.

Brownfield land may require expensive demolition and site clearance before it can be redeveloped. 

Brownfield land is often contaminated or polluted with toxic materials as a result of its previous industrial uses and may require expensive remedial works. 

The design of developments on brownfield sites may have to fit in with existing local buildings.

Some of the buildings on brownfield sites may have a historical or architectural interest or be listed buildings which means they may have to be preserved. This might limit how the site can be developed.

Some brownfield sites may have environmental value. They may have become important habitats for plants and animals in the time since their industrial use ended.

What is Brownfield First?

Brownfield first is an informal Government policy which is designed to encourage developers and builders to build on brownfield land in preference and before greenfield sites wherever possible. A brownfield first policy was first announced by the then Government in the 1990s. A similar brownfield first policy is being promoted by the current Government.

Brownfield first is only an informal policy, however. It does not mean that brownfield land must be built before greenfield sites.

What is the Brownfield Register?

The Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017 require local planning authorities in England to prepare, maintain and publish registers of previously developed (brownfield) land. The aim is that developers and builders can more easily find brownfield land that can be redeveloped, and more easily obtain the necessary planning permission to build on it. The idea is that this will encourage more use of brownfield land.

Brownfield land registers should provide up-to-date and consistent information on sites that local authorities consider appropriate for residential development according to the legislation. Local planning authorities are able to grant permission in principle for residential development for suitable sites.

Brownfield registers are in two parts. Part 1 comprises all brownfield sites appropriate for residential development. Part 2 comprises those sites granted permission in principle.