Brownfield recovery progress hailed

Good progress is being made in cleaning up brownfield land for housing use, the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has said.

Speaking about the current state of brownfield recovery in the UK, TCPA communications manager Kate Henderson commented: "Many brownfield sites exist in areas with a strong demand for housing, but contamination can hold back development.

"However, huge progress has been made technically, legally and administratively in dealing with contaminated land."

She said new commitments made by Chancellor Alistair Darling in the budget should help further.

Mr Darling has made commitments to make brownfield land spending and Japanese Knotweed removal eligible for land remediation relief in the 2009 finance bill, while setting up a consultation on the possible exemption from landfill tax for those clearing brownfield for building.

The increase in brownfield land availability may release some small plots which self builders can purchase and use.


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