The way in which local authorities identify and assess land for future redevelopment could be transformed, due to advances in technology and changing information needs, according to a new study of the ten year-old National Land Use Database of Previously Developed Land (NLUD-PDL).
Recommendations for the review of NLUD - the register of brownfield sites throughout England and a key part of the National Brownfield Strategy - were commissioned by English Partnerships and produced by a cross-disciplinary team of researchers at Kingston University.
The recommendations from the research could see NLUD-PDL replaced with a system which would be even more accurate, more comprehensive and easier for local authorities to maintain. The research also comes at a time when the need for accurate identification of brownfield land is more urgent than ever, to meet ambitious housing targets - including accommodating 60% of all new homes on brownfield land by 2020.
The research looked at the need for brownfield data; possible improvements to NLUD; and the needs of a wider audience for information of this kind.
Key recommendations include:
At present, local planning authorities submit annual "NLUD Returns" data on a voluntary basis. The data includes details on land size; site location; previous history of the site; classification ranging from derelict or vacant sites to those in-use but with the potential for re-use; and its current planning status. The resulting information is used by Government to:
The recommendations will shortly be submitted and considered by Government for future implementation.
