Glossary
- Brownfield land or site
- Brownfield land is another term for previously developed land, or land that contains or contained a permanent structure and associated infrastructure. Brownfield land occurs in rural and urban areas, but does not include agricultural or forestry land or buildings. The definition laid down in Government policy, which all local planning authorities should follow, is in Annex B of PPS3: Housing. Paragraphs 40-44 of PPS3 also calls on regional and local planning authorities to maximise the use of previously developed land, so that the Government brownfield housing target is met. See also Greenfield.
- Brownfield target
- The brownfield target for new housing development is set out in the Government's Strategy for Sustainable Development. This target is for 60% of new or housing to be provided on brownfield land. Each regional planning body in England can, however, set its own target for reuse of brownfield land for housing, provided it contributes to meeting the national target (PPS3, paragraph 42). In practice this means the brownfield target for some English regions (such as the South West) is lower than the overall national target, whilst in others (such as the North West) the regional target is much higher.