One Million New Homes Could be Built on Brownfield Land

New statistics released at the end of August suggest that up to one million new homes could be built on brownfield sites.

The new statistics estimate that around 63,500 hectares of previously developed land was available to development in the year 2005. 44% of this was considered by the government to be suitable for the development of new housing; the remaining 66% was thought to be appropriate for the development of commercial and / or recreational purposes.

Here in the South East, there is believed to be enough suitable brownfield sites to accommodate around 400,000 new homes, understandably because it is the 3 South Easterly regions which hold the highest demand for housing.
Baroness Kay Andrews, The Lords Planning Minister is reported to have commented:

"This Government has made it clear that suitable brownfield land must be a priority for any new development and that is why three-quarters of all new developments are already being built on previously developed sites. There is a real need to build more homes if we are to meet the housing needs of future generations and these statistics show that many of these could go on re-used sites. In some areas it may be necessary to bring forward other sites if we are to meet local demand, but there are other areas where local authorities could be doing more with the land that is already available. By making the most of suitable brownfield land, local authorities can continue to protect the countryside whilst ensuring there are more homes available for first time buyers."

Policy PPS3 (draft planning policy on housing) was brought in to encourage local planning authorities to proactively use and bring about suitable developments on previously developed brownfield sites. This policy not only encourages the authorities to consider suitable planning applications, but also to actively promote such sites that may be suitable for development to help meet the country's growing housing needs.

Approximately 74% of all new developments are built on land that has been developed in the past, which is a significant rise upon the figure quoted for the year 1997, up from 56%.

Click here for the statistics published by the department for communities and local government

PF Stratford Ltd, property developers in Surrey, subscribe to an ethical approach to the redevelopment of brownfield sites, for more information please feel free to contact us.