In the UK, there is a high demand for housing, and new homes need to be built. Unfortunately, it is also essential that the green spaces and places that are protected as habitats are also preserved. However, brownfield land – this is land that has previously been developed and used for other things, is a great option to build new homes on.
Because brownfield land has already had a use in the past, it is also likely to have the infrastructure around it that a greenfield site will not. For example, connections to utilities are much easier as the network is in place, and it will also be more likely to be in an area where there is easy access to other amenities, like shops, schools and doctors’ surgeries, something that is essential for many people when they want a home that is convenient.
Something that may be a downside to building on a brownfield site that has had a former use, however, is the fact that the soil may well be contaminated. Sites that have had a former use as an industrial or a military site for example, can be unsafe. However, it is possible to get around this.
A land remediation services company like this https://soilfix.co.uk/services/groundwater-soil-remediation-services will be able to test the soil to check if there are any dangers lurking within – this could be anything from asbestos to certain gases – and then they will be able to put together a plan to clear it and make it safe once again.
