Baltic Urban Lab project, led by the UBC Sustainable Cities Commission, has published a definition for urban brownfields. There are no commonly agreed European definitions on what a brownfield is. The definition published by the project emphasizes the importance of integrated and partnership based approach for the redevelopment of brownfield areas.
During Baltic Urban Lab four cities Norrköping, Riga, Tallinn and Turku have been developing and testing novel planning approaches involving variety of stakeholders including developers, land-owners, private companies, NGOs and citizens in finding new ways and visions to develop selected brownfield areas.
Besides finding ways to support and encourage cooperation between different actors in the process, the issues of land ownership and the technical, geological, and financial difficulties of remediating contaminated land as well as questions about responsibility have been identified as some of the main challenges involved in brownfield redevelopment.
Findings from the studies implemented show that Central Baltic region does not have a long tradition of national policy approaches to brownfield redevelopment. This may pose a challenge for brownfield redevelopment on local level.
To support the development of more coordinated national policy approach to brownfield development Baltic Urban Lab project has identified recommendations to national actors who wish to promote brownfield redevelopment in their countries. The recommendations call e.g. for more clear guidance on roles and responsibilities of different actors when it comes financing remediation of contaminated land, support to local actors in developing new forms of partnerships and national brownfield inventories and funding schemes to accelerate brownfield development and remediation processes.
Read more: www.balticurbanlab.eu
Meet Baltic Urban Lab's Project Coordinator at the UBC Sustainable Cities Commission:
Maija has a extensive experience and expertise in regional development and urban planning, as well as implementing sustainable development at the local level. She has been working in regional development at the national level and in regional representation for EU.
