Lay off green fields, review says

The government must make better use of previously developed brownfield land in towns and cities to help avoid urban sprawl, a new report concludes.
The Callcutt Review of Housebuilding Delivery calls for local authorities to work with developers to create and deliver projects which will cultivate sustainable communities and generate social regeneration.
However, Michael Bothamley, head of real estate at Beachcroft LLP, says that due to legal complications and the expense involved with decontaminating brownfield sites, green fields are more attractive for developers to build on.

He says: “It’s right that re-using previously developed land is part of a sustainable solution to the housing crisis. However, achieving this will require not only reforms to the planning system but also a culture change in the public sector and a lot of public money.”
Without this, he says, if local authorities are to meet the housing numbers the government requires, much green space on the outskirts of towns and cities will be encroached upon.

“Not only is cleaning contaminated land costly but, due to landfill tax, disposing of contaminated material is also expensive. Similarly, there are added costs involved with building on brownfield sites in urban areas due to the planning restrictions and complications involved with putting parking provision and plant rooms underground.”