Advantages and Disadvantages, with Comparison to Greenfield and Greyfield Development.

Brownfield land development has emerged as a pivotal aspect of sustainable urban planning, addressing the challenges of urban sprawl and environmental degradation. In this article, we will explore the intricacies of brownfield development, delving into its advantages and disadvantages, while drawing comparisons to the more conventional approach of greenfield and the recently coined greyfield development.

Understanding Brownfield Land

On 21 May 2024 the government announced:

"Planning rules coming into force today make it easier to convert unused farm buildings into new homes, farm shops and gyms.

Farmers will be able to convert their unused buildings into new homes and shops thanks to new planning laws coming into effect today.

The much discussed issue of nutrient neutrality affects 74 local authority areas in various parts of the country. Excessive levels of phosphates and nitrates contribute to the growth of algal blooms, which causes reduced oxygen levels with adverse impacts on aquatic life.

There are ways of achieving nutrient neutrality however practically and cost are the issues. For on-site solutions the natural options of fallow land and wetlands are generally impractical due to lack of space and the cost of treatment plants renders this out of reach for any but the largest schemes.

A Phase 1 Environmental Report provides information on the environmental condition of a site and helps buyers, lenders and developers make informed decisions about their investment or proposed development. In this blog post, we'll discuss what a Phase 1 Environmental Report is, why it's necessary, and how it works.

Why Are They Imposed?

GO Contaminated Land Solutions is pleased to announce that we have obtained CHAS Advanced Accreditation.  CHAS is the Contractors Health and Safety Scheme.  It is trusted as the leading provider of compliance and risk management solutions in the UK, setting benchmarks across a number of industries.  These include construction, housing and development.

It is thought likely that Schedule 3 will make SuDS mandatory and remove the automatic right to connection to the public sewer. It is anticipated that Schedule 3, will be implemented in England in 2024. There is an excellent article on this by Wavin.

Landfill Tax Grant Scheme:

Background

On 21 July 2022 the government opened a “Call for Evidence on a Proposed Landfill Tax Grant Scheme for the Remediation of Contaminated Land”. This closed on 18 August 2022.

The Defra website states:

The explosion and fire at the Buncefield oil depot in Hemel Hempstead occurred in 2005. This may seem a long time ago, however the foam used to fight this fire and many other sources have or a leaving a toxic legacy that does not break down once released into the environment. 

These per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), used in a wide range of everyday items as well as firefighting foams and industrial processes can now be found in concerning concentrations in our soil and water.

New housing developments, hotels and student accommodation, in the vicinity of vulnerable watercourses must demonstrate that they do not increase phosphate and nitrate levels beyond pre-consent levels.

The new ‘Nutrient Mitigation Scheme’ has been set up to enable developers to purchase government-backed credits, with the revenues raised invested in new and expanded wetlands and woodlands.