A Systems Approach to Assess the Redevelopment Options for Urban Brownfield Sites
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A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO ASSESS THE REDEVELOPMENT OPTIONS FOR URBAN BROWNFIELD SITES Anthony D. Leney, MEng. Thesis submitted to The University of Nottingham for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy June, 2008 Abstract The problem addressed is: How can an appropriate redevelopment option for an urban brownfield site be determined? A systems-based approach, Brownfield REMIT/RESPONSE (BRR), to assess the impact of brownfield redevelopment on the surrounding urban area has been developed. This utilises REMIT/RESPONSE combined with urban theory to develop a dynamic model of the generic impact of brownfield redevelopment that when combined with site-specific information can be used to identify and compare the impact of different redevelopment options. The development of a roadmap of the brownfield redevelopment process identified when decisions about the redevelopment option of a brownfield site were likely to be taken and was used to produce a list factors relating to the brownfield site and the surrounding urban area that could affect this decision. A review of the National Garden Festivals identified that the most important factor in delivering an appropriate redevelopment option where a site is initially redeveloped for a temporary event is the planning component of the characterisation, planning and design stage of the brownfield redevelopment process. An assessment of urban models determined that it was not possible to predict the impact of brownfield redevelopment on urban area as a means of comparing alternative redevelopment options. Therefore, it was necessary to develop a new tool to compare alternative redevelopment options. The developed tool, BRR, provides a means to assess the redevelopment options of brownfield sites in an integrated and systematic manner that considers the social, economic and environmental aspects of the redevelopment. To demonstrate that BRR i could be applied to assess brownfield redevelopment it was applied to develop a systematic objective-based model of the redevelopment of the Radford site. By analysing the effects of policy identified within the model it was identified that, at the Radford site, there was no policy requirement to assess the sustainability of the redevelopment option chosen and that conflicting policies delayed the redevelopment of the site. BRR was applied to assess the proposed redevelopment options at three sites. At the first two sites, a single option was assessed to determine if it was appropriate. At the Shaw and Marvin site it was shown that the redevelopment option was appropriate and at the Willoughby Garages site it was shown that whilst the redevelopment option was not inappropriate, it was likely that a more beneficial option could be identified. At the third site, Basford gasworks three redevelopment options were compared and it was determined that industrial and commercial units were the most appropriate of three options. ii Acknowledgements There are a number of people I would like to thank who have been invaluable in the completion of this study. I would like to thank Paul Nathanail of the School of the Geography at the University of Nottingham for his guidance, help and support throughout this study. I would also like to thank Gareth Thornton for his guidance, help and support in the early part of this study. Thanks also to the people I have worked with and alongside in the Land Quality Management research group for their support through out this study. I would also like to thank Landmark Information Group and the EPSRC for their financial support of this study. On a more personal level I would like to thank Nic for her support which has been provided in far too many ways to list here and has been far more valuable than she will ever know. I would also like to thank my parents for all the help and support they have provided not just throughout this study but throughout my life in general. Finally, I would like to thank everyone else who has helped me throughout the time of this study. iii Contents Abstract.......................................................................................................i Acknowledgements.................................................................................. iii Index of figures.........................................................................................ix Index of tables...............................................................................................xiii Glossary...................................................................................................xiv List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ................................................ xviii Chapter 1: Introduction ...........................................................................1 1.1 Aim and Objectives....................................................................................4 1.2 Brownfield Definitions ..............................................................................4 1.3 Structure of the Thesis ...............................................................................7 Chapter 2: Methodology...........................................................................9 2.1 Brownfield Policy ......................................................................................9 2.2 Brownfield Roadmap ...............................................................................10 2.3 National Garden Festivals........................................................................10 2.4 An Urban Simulation Approach to Assessing Brownfield Redevelopment Options.................................................................................12 2.5 A Systems Approach to Assessing Brownfield Redevelopment .............13 2.6 Applying a Systems Approach to Analyse the Impact of Policy on Brownfield Redevelopment ...........................................................................13 2.7 Applying a Systems Approach to Assess Brownfield Redevelopment Options ...........................................................................................................14 Chapter 3: Brownfield Policy.................................................................15 3.1 What is Policy? ........................................................................................15 3.2 The History of Brownfield Redevelopment Policy .................................16 3.2.1 Derelict Land Policy ................................................................................... 17 3.2.2 Contaminated Land Policy.......................................................................... 19 3.2.3 Urban Regeneration Policy ......................................................................... 22 3.2.4 Brownfields First: The Development of a Sequential Approach to the Allocation of Land for Development ................................................................... 24 3.2.5 Summary of Policy Objectives Related to Brownfield Redevelopment..... 25 3.3 Brownfield Policy in England..................................................................26 3.3.1 Delivering the Government’s Brownfield Policy ....................................... 27 3.4 A National Brownfield Strategy for England ..........................................32 3.5 Measuring the Success of Brownfield Policy ..........................................33 3.5.1 Brownfield Policy in England and the A-B-C Model................................. 42 3.5.2 Of Cabbages and Chocolate: Problems with the Government’s Brownfield Definition and Other Flaws in the Measurement of the Success of Brownfield Policy ................................................................................................................... 44 3.6 Summary ..................................................................................................46 Chapter 4: Towards a Brownfield Redevelopment Roadmap ...........48 4.1 The Use of Roadmaps to Describe Brownfield Redevelopment .............49 4.2 The Process of Redeveloping Brownfield Sites.......................................55 iv 4.2.1 Overview of the Brownfield Redevelopment process ................................ 55 4.2.2 Initiation Stage of Brownfield Redevelopment .......................................... 57 4.2.3 The Characterisation, Planning and Design Stage of Brownfield Redevelopment..................................................................................................... 60 4.2.4 The Implementation Stage of Brownfield Redevelopment......................... 64 4.2.5 The Completion Stage of Brownfield Redevelopment ............................... 65 4.3 Key Issues within Brownfield Redevelopment........................................66 4.3.1 Land Use Planning: Bringing Land Forward for Development.................. 67 4.3.2 The appraisal of redevelopment options for brownfield redevelopment projects................................................................................................................. 67 4.3.3 Site Acquisition, Land Assembly and Brownfield Redevelopment ........... 70 4.3.4 Development Control and Planning Permission ......................................... 71 4.3.5 Managing Land Contamination within the Brownfield Redevelopment Process ................................................................................................................. 75 4.3.6 Brownfield Redevelopment and Environmental Impact............................. 77 4.3.7 Brownfield Redevelopment and Biodiversity............................................. 79 4.3.8 Brownfield Redevelopment