Housing Development on Brownfield Sites

Abstract

Official housing statistics project an increase in households by 3.8 million in England between 1996 and 2021.1 In its Strategy for Sustainable Development in the UK, the Government declared its aim to offer everyone the opportunity of a decent home.2 But where are all these new households to go? Housing accounts for about 70% of the consumption of greenfield land by urban development and while in 1991, 10.6% of England's land area had been built upon, this is likely to rise to 11.9% by 2016, if current trends continue.3 The pace at which land is being consumed by urban development is considered as one of the major threats to the achievement of sustainable development,4 which requires the ‘prudent use of natural resources’, a principle to which the Government has also committed itself.5 Consequently, sustainable development requires using as little previously undeveloped land for new development as possible. One way to reduce the land use of housing is to build as many new dwellings as possible on previously developed land.6 Therefore in 1995 the Government set a target of 50% for the proportion of additional homes in England to be built on previously developed land, or provided through conversions7 of existing buildings.8 In 1998 the target was increased to 60% by 2008.9 However, development on brownfield land will not always be the best solution considering the environmental impacts of the development as a whole. The location of housing, for example, is a crucial aspect in determining the creation of needs for energy (another very important sustainability issue). It can be assumed that housing development within existing urban areas is generally more sustainable in energy terms, as it reduces the need for transportation and higher densities of dwellings require less energy for space heating.10 Therefore, the aim should be to increase the amount of new housing development on brownfield land within urban areas. This article examines which obstacles need to be overcome and which instruments are available to achieve the governmental target.