Greenfields, Brownfields and Housing Development [Paperback]

This is a powerful critique of the growing tendency to reduce the new housing debate to a mere choice between greenfield and brownfield locations. This book points at the structure and organisation of the housebuilding industry, supply and demand pressures in the housing market, the contested nature of sustainability and the political character of the planning process. All factors which must be considered if a truly effective housing land policy is to be devised.

The book:

* analyses social, economic, and political influences on public policy and private investment

* places current controversies within a strong institutional context

* evaluates recent changes in housebuilding

* explores how sustainable development provides both a common and contested discourse for debates

* examines financial and economic impacts of housing land policiesPart 1: THE POLICY CONTEXT - Introduction; The changing context of housing development; The sustainability of new housing development; The residential planning process;.

Part 2: MARKET, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT - The speculative housebuilding industry; The politics of planning and housing development;.

PART 3 POLICY EVALUATION - Greenfield housing development; Brownfield housing development; The economics of planning and housing development; Conclusions and policy implications; Bibliography; Index

David Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the RICS Foundation, is supportive of the authors' conclusions:

We welcome the government's proposed increase in the quantities of affordable housing, but would echo the findings of Greenfields, Brownfields and Housing Development in urging ministers to look closely at how solutions to housing shortages can become catalystslã: