The North West is successfully bringing previously developed land (PDL) back into sustainable use. The region is exceeding its target for at least 70 per cent of new homes to be built on brownfield land.
Concentrating development on previously developed sites can help to protect the environment by preserving green belt land and preventing the destruction of natural habitats. It can also encourage regeneration, and help to minimise some of the anti-social aspects of derelict areas such as fly-tipping and vandalism.
Previously developed land, often called brownfield land, is land that has been developed but is now vacant or derelict, or currently in use but with known potential for redevelopment. Derelict land and buildings are so damaged by previous industrial or other development as to be incapable of beneficial use without treatment. This includes abandoned buildings in an advanced state of disrepair, and land damaged by development which has been or is being restored.
At a glance
- In 1995, figures from Communities and Local Government (CLG) showed that only 60% of new dwellings in the North West were built on previously developed land. In 2008, provisional figures show this has increased to 83% which is well above our regional target of at least 70% set out in the Regional Spatial Strategy.
- The North West has the highest percentage of previously developed land that is unused or may be available for redevelopment. The majority of our PDL is located in the industrial heartlands in the southern part of the region.
- Amongst English regions, the North West has identified the second largest potential housing capacity: an estimated 164,330 dwellings could be provided on existing previously developed sites.
- Provisional figures from CLG indicate that, in 2008, only 2% of new dwellings in the North West were built within the designated green belt. The same source indicated that only 10% of land changing to residential use was within the green belt.
- Although our region's overall target for building new dwellings on PDL is at least 70%, there are sub-regional variations which take local conditions into account. These include 90% targets for Liverpool, Manchester and Salford, but only 50% targets for North Cumbria, the Lake District and the areas around Morecambe Bay.
Find out more
Our national policy on brownfield land redevelopment is set out in a position statement.
Newlands project
Launched in the summer of 2003, Newlands is a £59 million scheme devised by the Forestry Commision. It responds to local and regional socio-economic needs by transforming derelict sites in the North West into thriving, multifunctional community woodlands.
REMADE
REMADE, which stands for REclamation and MAnagement of DErelict land, is a scheme managed by Lancashire County Council. It is funded by the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA) as part of their commitment to tackling the region’s derelict land problem.
REVIVE
REVIVE stands for Regenerating the EnVironment InVests in the Economy and is an NWDA scheme. It aims to bring 170 hectares of brownfield land back into beneficial use to provide green infrastructure in the Cheshire and Warrington areas.
