What is a brownfield site?
Brownfield land is land that has been previously developed. A definition of ‘previously developed land’ is provided by the government in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
The following can be regarded as potentially being a brownfield site:
- previously developed land which is now vacant
- vacant buildings
- derelict land and buildings
- other previously developed land or buildings currently in use where it is known there is potential for redevelopment
Brownfield land identified for housing
You can view potential housing sites, including those on brownfield land, in our Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) page.
Brownfield Land Register
A Brownfield Land Register is a list of sites that meet the criteria set by the government. However, not all brownfield sites meet these criteria and therefore not all listed in the register. For a more complete picture, you should read our Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) page.
Our most recent brownfield land register was published in December 2020.
It can be viewed on the map below and is available as open data to download on data.gov.
Government criteria for inclusion in the Brownfield Land Register
- the site must be classified as 'previously developed land', as defined by the glossary to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
- the site should be at least 0.25 hectares in size or capable of supporting at least 5 dwellings
- the land is suitable for residential development
- the land is available for residential development
- residential development of the land is achievable within 15 years