The redevelopment of brownfield sites in London for small to medium sized housing schemes can be a cost-effective and sustainable way to meet the city's housing demand. Brownfield sites are a category of previously developed land not currently in use. Although these sites may have contamination or other issues that need to be addressed before they can be reused as they are regularly identified as having potential to be used as development land. Redeveloping these sites for housing may involve the material change of use of land and can help to revitalize underused or derelict areas of the city, while also meeting the identified need for residential development and the resultant housing much-needed by Londoners. As a chartered town planner working across London boroughs FJ Urban Planning have been involved in many projects involving the redevelopment of such sites as both a planning consultant and an LPA planning officer gaining a wealth of experience with this form of residential development over the years.
The types of land that fall within the brownfield land category are broad in range however these are some of the typical examples:
Used car show room
Old petrol stations
MOT centres or garage for sale
Land which was formally an industrial building
For property developers or those interested in becoming property developers in the city there are several advantages to redeveloping brownfield sites for small housing sites in London. Firstly, brownfield sites are often located in urban areas, close to amenities and public transportation, which can make them attractive to potential buyers and renters. One of the aims of the metropolitan greenbelt is to recycle such sites. The reuse of previously developed land can help to reduce the demand for new development on greenfield sites, which protects London's green spaces and reduces the environmental impact of new housing. Secondly, brownfield sites are often smaller than greenfield sites, which can make them more suitable for small to medium sized higher density housing developments. This can be particularly ideal in London, where space is at a premium and the obstacles for that exist in relation to the delivery of larger housing development in the city. Small housing sites can also be more affordable for developers, as they require fewer resources and can be developed more quickly than larger sites.
Thirdly, the national drive to redevelop brownfield land tips the planning balance in favour of planning permission being released for the redevelopment of such sites where competing policy objectives and material considerations arise during the assessment of a scheme by planning officers. At the local level many Council’s keep brownfield land registers which can be used to identify brownfield sites in your area. The register provides information on sites that local planning authorities consider to be appropriate for residential development. Nationally, Brownfield Release funding has been made available to Local Planning Authorities in relation to council owned brownfield land. This scheme has made £60 million available to councils to revive brownfield sites and make way for high quality homes. The national map of planning data set for the UK has a dataset that has identified many of the brownfield sites in the country considered suitable for development. There are also several challenges to redeveloping brownfield sites for small to medium housing schemes in London. One of the main challenges is the cost of remediation, which can be high if the site is contaminated or has other issues that need to be addressed. Such as the potential requirement for Property developers to invest in infrastructure, such as roads and utilities, which can increase the build costs of a residential development. Despite these challenges, the benefits of redeveloping brownfield sites for small housing in London can outweigh the costs. By revitalizing underused or derelict areas of the city and providing much-needed homes for Londoners, these developments can contribute to the city's growth and success. If you come across a brownfield development site for sale FJ Urban Planning can assist your decision to acquire the site with a planning feasibility study or planning appraisal to enable you to ascertain whether a site is suitable development land with due regard for your criteria. To come across such land for sale in London is not an easy task however opportunities to acquire on and off market sites do arise.
In conclusion, redeveloping brownfield sites in London for small housing can be a cost-effective and sustainable way to meet the city's growing housing demand. While there are challenges to these types of developments, the benefits can outweigh the costs, and they can help to revitalize underused or derelict areas of the city while providing much-needed homes for Londoners.
In respect to how to get planning permission on land it is worth speaking to a chartered town planner for site specific advice. Planning advice in London will vary from borough to borough and on a site by site basis. If you are in need of planning advice in London specific to your property development project or if you require help with planning permission issues I encourage you to get in contact in order for us to help you overcome these challenges and increase your chances for success.
Fidel Miller MRTPI
London planning consultant
Planning consultant near me
planning consultants near me
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