Brownfield sites:Areas within the
city which are no longer used. They may contain old factories or housing, or
they may have been cleared ready for redeveloment.
Brownfield potential: The number of
brownfield sites which are available for redevelopment within a city.
How and why the inner city is changing
How
Why
1970-1980
Closure of factories
Creation of derelict land and buildings and brownfield sites
De-industrialisation. Out-of-date, polluting,
uncompetitive. In many cases they closed permanently or moved to new out-of-city
greenfield sites (Sant Boi), to the tariff-free zone of Zona Franca or to NICs.
1980-1992
Depopulation
Suburbanisation. Move to the suburbs for a higher quality of
life
Counter-urbanisation. Move to rural areas for a higher quality of life
Redevelopment schemes to encourage gentrification e.g. Contemporary Art
Museum resulted in loss of residential blocks
Out-migration seeking jobs outside the city
Closure of cheap hostels to remove the transient population - a main
cause of the high crime rate
New parks and open spaces
For recreation and to reduce the crime rate by improving the
social capital
To encourage tourism e.g. the six new beaches at the Olympic Village
New people
Gentrification
Student accommodation was constructed
Olympic Village constructed on former factory site in Poble Nou
Renewal and conversion of buildings of cultural and heritage value. A
former hospital was converted into the National Library and convents and
monasteries were taken over for schools and government offices
1992-2003
Increasing population
Gentrification and new employment opportunities e.g. 22@
high-tech zone, new hotel
Diagonal Mar hyper-community on a brownfield site at Poble Nou attracts
higher socio-economic groups
High immigration from LEDCs
Redevelopment and renewal of old buildings
To provide better quality housing. Apartment blocks with
lifts are particularly needed for the elderly
New parks, open spaces and pedestrianisation
schemes
For recreation, to reduce the crime rate by improving the social
capital and to reduce traffic noise and air pollution
New jobs in the service and high-technology
sectors
Service-related employment (e.g. tourism) or quaternary (22@
high-tech zone)
Creation of new pedestrianised areas e.g. Raval
Rambla
Reduce pollution, improve the social capital and encourage
new employment opportunities and gentrification
New university and hotel
Encourage gentrification and provide new employment
opportunities
New sports and leisure amenities
Improve health and the social capital
New schools and training centres
Improve skills
New shopping malls (Diagonal Mar, La Maquinista)
constructed on brownfield sites
Provide jobs and encourage gentrification
New metro links
To improve accessibility to former brownfield sites and
encourage the location of new service industries
Universal Forum of Cultures 2004
Used as a catalyst for continued brownfield site
development. Buildings constructed for the events will afterwards be converted
to other uses (e.g. geriatric home)
Subterranean pneumatic waste disposal system
installed
To reduce litter in the streets and offensive odours
Traffic management schemes
To reduce traffic congestion in the narrow streets and
reduce noise and air pollution
22@ High-Tech zone developed on a brownfield
site at Poble Nou
