Over 50 attended this event, and there were many questions posed, issues raised and solutions offered.
The slides from the event are now available to download from the website, via the link at the bottom of the page.
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Original story:
CPRE, as the leading countryside charity, has accumulated a significant body of evidence on what has been happening to brownfield development in recent years and has drawn conclusions on what is needed in the future to encourage wider use of this vital resource, especially in urban locations.
Reuse of urban brownfield land is more sustainable than development of greenfield countryside, as urban sites usually have well developed infrastructure (road network, transport connections, shops, schools, medical facilities, employment opportunities, etc.) whereas countryside development lacks such amenities, and even in the rare cases where it is financially feasible to create some of them, it usually entails the loss of valuable farmland and important habitat and wildlife.
Brownfield land is a particular issue for conurbations across the North of England. Our industrial legacy means the North has comparatively large swathes of derelict previously developed land in need of investment to unlock future development potential. In our view this land should be used in advance of any green space in promoting the Northern Powerhouse. Urban regeneration is an objective in itself, since it enhances the lives of the people who have otherwise to live and work in unhealthy blighted conditions. Of course, in strongly supporting urban regeneration, greatly reduces the loss of countryside to unnecessary development
In December 2017, the Government required local planning authorities to create and maintain Brownfield Land Registers to record suitable brownfield sites to better inform the evidence bases of local plans. Last year CPRE devised a Toolkit to help communities inform planners of potential sites for inclusion in the registers. The toolkit is designed to deliver information in the format required for incorporation in the local authorty’s Brownfield Land Register and so assist hard pressed planning officers. In July 2018, the Government revised the National Planning Policy Framework and it now includes Section 11: Making effective use of land which encourages better use of brownfield land.
We will examine how useful the Brownfield Land Registers are, and whether other policy areas of the NPPF, such as the housing delivery tests, support urban regeneration as a priority.
Devolution means that Combined Authorities are producing draft spatial frameworks in areas such as Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region. CPRE is keen to ensure these spatial plans are based on sustainable development principles and truly focus on reusing urban brownfield sites in advance of countryside loss. We want the Government to fully support devolved structures and constituent local planning authorities to make effective use of land.
At the meeting, we will showcase our findings on brownfield research and best practice by reference to London, Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region. Following this, we shall host a panel discussion including leading brownfield experts, such as academics, developers, planners and politicians. We will ask a number of relevant questions to understand the range of constraints and what needs to be done to enable more development of brownfield land to reduce development of unsustainable greenfield sites.
Speakers taking part are as follows:
- Crispin Truman, Chief Executive of CPRE
- Rebecca Pullinger, who will outline CPRE's new research
- Cllr Paul Dennett (Portfolio holder for planning and housing Greater Manchester Combined Authority)
- Cllr Derek Long (Portfolio holder for planning and housing Liverpool City Region Combined Authority)
- Professor Graham Haughton, Planning and Regeneration at University of Manchester
- Government - MHCLG to be confirmed
Also in attendance
- Anne Morgan (Lead planner GMCA)
Tickets are free but booking is essential.
