Brownfield first

Brownfield land – land previously built on – that is suitable for housing is a valuable resource because it provides an alternative to losing precious greenfield land to development.

In turn, greenfield land can continue to provide many benefits for people, nature and the environment. This includes providing fair access to green spaces near to where people live; providing space for wildlife and reversing the UK’s loss of biodiversity; providing land for growing food and ensuring the security of the UK’s domestic food supply; and helping to store carbon and mitigate climate change.

Understanding how much brownfield land there is and how this land is being used is vital to ensuring that this resource meets its full potential. The re-use of brownfield land for residential development has many benefits, including often being close to where people already live and work, with infrastructure such as public transport, schools and shops already in place.

Ultimately, brownfield allows for the provision of the homes we need, where we need them. CPRE’s research shows that there is capacity for more than 1 million homes on brownfield sites identified by local authorities across England.