Making the Most of Urban Land: Utilising Brownfield Sites | IPT
Chair: Kevin Hollinrake MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Speaker: Professor Danni Sinnett, Professor in Sustainable Built Environment, University of the West of England
Speaker: Piers Clanford, Chief Operating Officer, Berkeley Group
Breakfast Meeting

Date:

Tuesday 13 May 2025

Venue:

House of Commons

Start Time:

08:30

End Time:

09:30

85% of England’s population now live in urban areas and research from Commonplace has shown that infrastructure development focused on brownfield urban regeneration sites in 16 UK cities can deliver at least 1.3 million new homes by 2035. Given the Government’s goal to build 1.5 million new homes in the next 5 years, brownfield site development can play an extremely important part in achieving this target. Brownfield development could also provide over 1 million jobs and generate £185 billion in GVA. The Brownfield Land Release Fund, announced in October, will provide £68 million to 54 councils to turn neglected land into new homes. The Government has also published a working paper to consider further reforms to the planning system to support the development of brownfield land. However, future development projects will need the support of the local community with 86% of people surveyed in 2024 feeling that community involvement is either ‘very important’ or ‘important’ when considering new developments. How can we make the most of urban land through brownfield sites to reach the Government’s economic and housing goals, whilst also considering the views of local people?

This event will:

  • Consider the role of government policies, such as the Brownfield Land Release Fund and the brownfield passport, in accelerating brownfield development.
  • Discuss strategies to engage local communities in brownfield development projects to ensure public support and alignment with local needs.
  • Assess the challenges of brownfield site development in comparison to greenfield expansion, including infrastructure, cost, and environmental considerations.