Brownfield Redevelopment

Unlike “greenfield” development, which encroaches on agricultural or greenbelt land, so-called brownfield redevelopment reuses previously developed land that is often derelict, underutilized, or neglected. This can improve the aesthetic, social, environmental, and economic value of the land, so it is consistent with the broad principles of sustainable development and the ambition of achieving intergenerational equity. However, brownfield land that was previously used for industrial activity is commonly contaminated, necessitating remediation to render the land suitable for the new use. Depending on the type or levels of contamination and the sensitivity of the proposed development to these, such remediation can be costly and time consuming. From an environmental perspective, this can be highly energy intensive, generate waste for disposal elsewhere, or be disruptive to the existing ...