Better use of brownfield land can transform Yorkshire communities: Andrew Ferguson

That’s because brownfield land is perhaps one of the most important assets we have in delivering much-needed new homes.

The government recognises this, having established funds and policies dedicated to helping local authorities commission regeneration projects on both underutilised and disused land. Yet development often doesn’t happen at the pace and scale required, and that’s partly because of the common challenges that most brownfield sites pose.

Finding and applying solutions is key to successful brownfield regeneration and this forum at Leeds Dock will provide a good platform for local authorities to get things moving.

The ownership structure of brownfield land typically presents the first hurdle. Often, a large plot of unused land will be split into multiple, smaller sites with different owners, rendering them too small to be developed in isolation.

Landpooling agreements offer a useful approach for bringing these nuggets of land together. While solving the obvious challenge of a fragmented site, they also bind the stakeholders themselves, uniting them under one ambition.

In my experience, it’s crucial that we’re all reading from the same hymn sheet – especially if we’re to make progress at the speed required to mitigate Britain’s housing shortage.

Joining forces with experienced partners is also essential for local authorities facing the perennial problem of a lack of resources to invest in regeneration projects.

Specialists have the skills and resources – both in time and money – to realise plans, and know how to work in partnership with local authorities to leverage their insight into the area.

An example of this is in our partnership with Sheffield City Council, Transport for the North and Sheffield City Region. Drawing on our areas of expertise, together we’ve created the Sheffield Midland and Sheaf Valley Regeneration Framework, which will enhance the public realm and accessibility around the station. Milestones of the first phase of development are now imminent.

Placemaking is less about creating a new neighbourhood, and more about complementing what’s already there. Thorough reviews of a town, city or urban area’s existing amenities is a key port of call when assessing how best to develop brownfield land.

And the needs of the community are ever-changing, as the last three years have shown. Being adaptable to a site’s evolving needs will pay dividends for developers, local authorities and the community.

Consultation is crucial, as is having the agility and confidence to update plans to ensure they’re the right fit for the community.

Ultimately, this is what will deliver public value – the measure of the social, economic, commercial and environmental benefits created by regeneration.

Brownfield land has long lived under the misconception that it’s too difficult to develop. But there are ways and means to dismiss the challenges on disused sites.

And when housing is in such short supply and communities crave thoughtful placemaking projects, brownfield sites represent shining opportunities to transform local economies.

Andrew Ferguson is partnerships and property director at LCR