New housing in Bournemouth: Greenfield or Brownfield sites?

The aim of this piece of coursework is to find out where Bournemouth should build their new houses, on Greenfield sites or Brownfield sites.

Hypothesis 1: Both Brownfield and Greenfield sites will be needed if Bournemouth is to meet its target for new homes in the next ten years. Discuss.

Hypothesis 2: More people, over 50% will prefer for new houses to be built on Brownfield sites.

Hypothesis 3: There is not enough Brownfield sites to build all the homes needed on.

Hypothesis 4: The main reason for people wanting houses to be built on Brownfield sites is that they want to protect the countryside.

Urban areas in the UK have grown by 58% by 1945, the equivalent of a London sized city being built every decade. This affects the growing demand for housing; the government has estimated that at least 4 million houses will be needed in England and Wales between 1996 and 2016. There is just one problem though, where are we going to build 4 million houses? The growth in demand for housing is party due to population increase, but results more from changes in the society.

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There is a growing number of single parent families and more and more people are getting divorced, this is increasing the demand for small properties. The trend of counterurbanisation has led to increasing demand for more houses in the countryside, while suburbanisation has added to demand on the rural urban area. Broadly the choice is between using new land in the countryside or building on the edges of our towns or cities - Greenfield sites or Brownfield sites.

Greenfield sites are land that has previously not been used for building, these are areas of rural land that may be currently be used for farming, forestry or for recreation. Brownfield sites are areas of land within our towns and cities that are either vacant due to redevelopment, or may have derelict or old buildings that can be demolished. Derelict land is knocked down and built into houses. Many younger people in their first jobs choose to locate near to the city centre for all that it has to offer in terms of entertainment and culture, and to save time and money travelling to and from work. The difference between Greenfield and Brownfield sites and urban and rural areas is not as clear as might appear.

Greenfield sites can be found within urban areas, for example areas of parkland and playing fields. Such land is often suitable for the expansion of housing and many such areas have undergone this change in land use. The housing issue is made more complicated by regional differences. The demand for housing is greatest in the south east of England; however, more Brownfield sites are available in the north.

Why should the government choose or not choose Greenfield sites to build new homes on?

* Greenfield sites have the obvious advantage of being undeveloped. There are no or few buildings to demolish, old roads or industrial debris to remove. These sites are generally cheaper to develop.

* Since at least the 1920s, the pattern of demand has largely been for new housing to be located in rural or suburban settings. Young families and many retired people want the peace and quiet of a more rural location. The city centre is has always been known as a place that is less safe, where there is pollution, congestion, noise, crime and in some cases a physically deteriorating environment.

* Greenfield sites have been part of a pattern of urban change and where we choose to live. New out of town shopping and leisure centres, light industrial and office developments cater largely for the mobile and affluent suburban and rural population.

* It can be harder to obtain planning permission to develop Greenfield land. At the edge of a town or city it is likely that rural land will be part of a green belt with accompanying restrictions on development. Rural populations, particularly in suburbanised villages, are generally well educated and articulate and will be likely to oppose new developments that could adversely affect their lifestyle.

* Environmental standards are usually easier for developers to comply with for Greenfield than Brownfield sites - many Brownfield sites have been exposed to some level of industrial pollution during their previous usage.

* Many people have made large sums of money by selling land to property developers. Farmers particularly have benefited in this way. Clearly this has been their wish - to dispose of their own property in the most profitable way to themselves. Proposals were made late in 1999 to relax the rules on the development of rural farmland.

* There are unlikely to be any of the necessary services on a Greenfield site. Water, electricity, sewerage, gas all have to be supplied. However, this is generally cheaper than clearing a Brownfield site and updating its services.

Why should the government choose or not choose to build new homes on Brownfield sites?

* Government policy is increasingly favouring the use of brownfield sites in order to prevent further loss of rural land and countryside.

* Many urban Brownfield sites have become vacant because they are no longer suited to their previous industrial uses - industries have changed, moved elsewhere, or gone out of business. That being so, it is sensible that alternative use is made of these sites, rather than allowing them to stand vacant.

* It is appropriate that people should be able to live close to their places of work, which are usually in town and city centres. This will relieve congestion on the roads and transport infrastructure generally.

* Some people prefer to live in an urban environment, with its nightlife, cultural facilities, shops, restaurants, libraries, etc.

* Concern has been expressed about possible dangers where houses have been built on sites that were formerly dumps for waste or were contaminated. Such land may be cheap, but could pose risks to health and safety.

In 2000 the government announced that 43,000 homes would have to be built each year just in Britain. There are plenty of Brownfield sites available for development in the old industrial towns in the North and Midlands, old derelict factories and works, but these are not areas where extra homes are needed. Dorset is known for its green countryside and as being a nice place to live, at least 12,400 houses will have to be built in Dorset which is bound to ruin some of the countryside.

The plan at the moment is that Brownfield sites will be built on first and Greenfield last. An estimated 60% of new homes will be built on Brownfield sites, although this still leaves 40% of new homes being built over Greenfield areas and spoiling the countryside.

The six locations we visited are Autumn road, Oakmead Gardens, Lavender road and Taylor drive, Ibbertson close, and 39 Talbot Avenue. All these areas are Brownfield or Greenfield sites changed into housing developments (more information given later).