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What is the purpose of the INTERREG IIIC BERI project? How do I find out more about the project and project findings? Why is Brownfield redevelopment an important issue? Where are Brownfields located? What uses can exist on redeveloped Brownfields? Who develops Brownfields? Who are the Stakeholders? What are some of the challenges facing Brownfield regeneration? What is a Brownfield?There are a number of differing definitions for what a Brownfield is. The definition changes from country to country. However there are some consistent elements of a definition. A Brownfield is viewed as abandoned, idled, or underused property where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by the presence or potential presence of contamination. Brownfield sites include abandoned factories and other industrial facilities, old harbours, gas storage facilities, and other business that dealt with polluting substances. However it must not be assumed that all Brownfields will have a contamination presence. Brownfield sites are situated in an urban environment usually in the heart of large cities with access to effective infrastructure. The BERI project has found that the lack of an ‘official’ definition of a Brownfield leads to this range of terms being used and that this can lead to confusion.For more detail please refer to the Policy Framework in the BERI project final report
What is the purpose of the INTERREG IIIC BERI project?The INTERREG IIIC project Brownfield European Regeneration Initiative is a European transnational network established to share experience and collaborate on Brownfield development in Europe. The overall aim of BERI is to identify on how Brownfield redevelopment can positively impact on urban regeneration in the context of public sector regeneration. As a result the network of 10 European partners was established.
The BERI project has been in operation since 2004 and has successfully established a platform on which the 10 BERI project partners can exchange experiences and knowledge on the issue of Brownfield regeneration. The focus of the project is sharing experience by means of a practical, case study based approach.
The partners met formally as a network on eight occasions in the period of the project, in alternating locations, in order to exchange their ideas on a holistic approach to redeveloping Brownfield sites. Each partner selected at least two Brownfield sites as case studies. To ensure mutual learning each partner chose one site that has already been (at least in some part) developed and another one that was proposed for development. This exchange of knowledge was further strengthened through the in-visits which took place at each partner's locations. The main goal of the in-visits was to exchange more detailed experiences and to learn from each other.
Other events include the Best Practice seminar in Brussels in February 2006 and the Brownfield – Hidden Opportunities, final conference of the BERI project in November 2006. The results of the BERI initiative were presented at this conference and the BERI partners also exhibited examples of successful redevelopment of Brownfield sites in their cities. How do I find out more about the project and project findings?The BERI project website is a good starting point for learning more about the project. The website is updated on a regular basis. The news section is a great information point if you want to find out about past as well as upcoming BERI events. The website also has detailed information on the individual partners, format of the network, policies and guidelines.
For more in-depth information the Virtual Masterplan is a Flash platform that includes the process timeline that describes the processes and events that may take place during a typical Brownfield regeneration project through an animated story – link Detailed information about the partner case studies can be located in the Virtual Masterplan. The case studies can be ordered and filtered by selecting appropriate characteristics.
If you require detailed information about the BERI project events and dissemination of findings reports from all BERI activities as well as the BERI final report can be downloaded in PDF format from the documents section of the website. If you require additional information which the website can’t answer please use the contacts page for details of how you can reach the project coordinators. For more details refer to the documents produced by the BERI project.
Why is Brownfield redevelopment an important issue?The utilisation of Brownfield sites is an increasingly important element of sustainable spatial development. Their regeneration can help to reduce the effects of city expansion. The redevelopment of Brownfield sites helps reduce the impact of urban sprawl and the demand to develop on valuable Greenfield space. Brownfield development has traditionally been addressed in a reactive and often piecemeal fashion, with the sites considered as liabilities rather than assets. With the recognition that the main responsibility for land use and urban development lies with local and regional authorities, the study of best practice at this level should contribute to influencing the effectiveness of policy-making.
Brownfield sites are present in most cities and so is an issue for most people. When viewed as opportunity sites and effectively regenerated the potentials of Brownfield sites can be realised. They can enhance the quality of the urban environment, attract people to live and spend time in the city and thus boosting the economy, instil a sense of pride in the city’s inhabitants and protects and enhances the city’s heritage.
Where are Brownfields located?Brownfield sites are traditionally located in urban areas close to city centres. It is the location of a Brownfield that enables these sites to be viewed as hidden opportunities. The urban environment usually provides the site with ample infrastructure such as road networks, public transport and air and sea ports with close proximity to the economic hub of a country.
As Brownfield sites are located in and around our cities it is extremely hard to ignore the scar they create on the landscape. It is argued that the regeneration of Brownfield sites contributes to a city and sometimes even having a knock on effect for further regeneration of other areas of the city.
What uses can exist on redeveloped Brownfields?Many different types of uses can be located on a redeveloped Brownfield site. Uses such as Residential housing, offices for various types of organisations, commercial uses as well as public open space have been developed on Brownfield sites. Many of the case study sites developed for the BERI project have included mixed use with different combinations of the uses above located on the sites. View the case studies in more detail.
It is highly recommended that a carefully thought out planning process is developed before work begins on a site. The community living in and around a Brownfield site are paramount to any proposed plan and must be included in all levels of development. It is recommended that a public involvement process to gage the opinions of the community be undertaken as soon as possible. More details on Public Involvement. Who redevelops Brownfields – who are the stakeholders?By collaborating, interested parties or "stakeholders" are instrumental in cleaning up contaminated properties and working on successful Brownfield redevelopment. Stakeholders can include any of the following:
What are some of the challenges facing Brownfield regeneration?There are a number of challenges that can arise when undertaking Brownfield regeneration. Challenges can include problems with contamination such as a lack of funding for cleanup operations, uncertainty over cleanup standards and the need for environmental assessments of sites and properties. There can also be concerns over liability for a site as well as responsibility. A site can sometimes face financial challenges such as unfavourable market conditions or barriers in raising the appropriate funding for development.
Other problems that can arise include issues with poor management or planning processes that can lead to a development program collapsing. A lack of or poor communication between stakeholders is also a major impediment to successful Brownfield regeneration. Environmental challenges such as the requirement to incorporate habitats into the planning process or provision of sustainable resources. Incorporating heritage into a site can also be a challenge especially with regards to logistics and cost. Learn more about these challenges.
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