Greenfields, Brownfields and Housing Development

The location of new housing development has become one of the most intractable controversies of modern times. This book provides a powerful critique of the growing tendency to reduce the debate on the development of new housing to a mere choice between greenfield and brownfield locations. It calls for full account to be taken of such factors as the structure and organisation of the housebuilding industry, supply and demand pressures in the housing market, the contested nature of sustainability and the political character of the planning process if a truly effective housing land policy is to be devised. Drawing on theories from economics and political science, this book will provide an important reference point on the institutional context within which residential development takes place and on the concerns of planning authorities, environmentalists, housebuilders, and their customers in relation to the apparent choice between greenfield and brownfield development.

The location of new housing development has become one of the mostintractable controversies of modern times. This book provides apowerful critique of the growing tendency to reduce the debate onthe development of new housing to a mere choice between greenfieldand brownfield locations. It calls for full account to be taken ofsuch factors as the structure and organisation of the housebuildingindustry, supply and demand pressures in the housing market, thecontested nature of sustainability and the political character ofthe planning process if a truly effective housing land policy is tobe devised.Drawing on theories from economics and political science, thisbook will provide an important reference point on the institutionalcontext within which residential development takes place and on theconcerns of planning authorities, environmentalists, housebuildersand their customers in relation to the apparent choice betweengreenfield and brownfield development.

Part 1: THE POLICY CONTEXT - Introduction; The changingcontext of housing development; The sustainability of new housingdevelopment; The residential planning process;.Part 2: MARKET, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT - Thespeculative housebuilding industry; The politics of planning andhousing development;.PART 3 POLICY EVALUATION - Greenfield housingdevelopment; Brownfield housing development; The economics ofplanning and housing development; Conclusions and policyimplications; Bibliography; Index