- Brownfields Planning: A tool for economically and socially effective sustainable urban development   click here to open paper content516 kb
by    Smith, Garry | garry.smith@aecom.com   click here to send an email to the auther(s) of this paper
Short Outline
Australian and US Brownfields Planning case-studies describe benefits for urban housing; jobs; infrastructure; social inclusion; and climate change mitigation. African and other government planning policies should facilitate Brownfield development.
Abstract
Brownfield Planning involves cleanup and development of land and waterways which are idle or abandoned after former industrial or other uses. The remediation of inner-urban land has evolved in the global North from an initial public health protection measure to an effective planning tool for urban development and renewal.

Global North governments, including Australian and US case-studies, have recognized the benefits of facilitating and coordinating Brownfields development, which achieves environmental and public health protection while enhancing economic development and directly addressing urban carbon emission reduction.

Brownfield development policy will address one of the most important goals of planning in developing countries, that of urban development and renewal. It offers synergy between sectoral disciplines and reduction of constraints on manufacturing industry through mitigating climate change impacts of cities. Adoption of Brownfield policies and market incentives may offer the global South a mechanism for fair access to global climate change accords.

The typical location of Brownfield sites within and adjacent high density urban areas rapidly and effectively generates urban renewal, infrastructure improvement, and Transit Oriented Development (TOD), while reducing national carbon emissions on a large scale.

Brownfields policy development will respond to global South urban development needs, including housing and service delivery; job generation and economic development; infrastructure provision; environmental and natural resource management; and social inclusiveness.

Policy opportunities include targeted government Brownfield remediation funding and developer incentives (funding for liability insurance, approvals fast-tracking, improved floorspace ratios etc), may involve revolving loan funding mechanisms and regulatory policy improvement which, while cost-neutral for government, leverage significant private financial funding to the city.

Global South governments may guide urban development by embracing Brownfield Planning policy frameworks which will support Brownfield development in African and global developing cities and by requiring government planning and development agencies to investigate and facilitate Brownfield development.
Keywords
Brownfield planning, urban renewal, climate change mitigation
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