Brownfield Gets The Green Light

With the Government issuing new guidance to councils regarding the use of Local Plans to safeguard against ‘urban sprawl’ on green areas surrounding towns and cities, we have seen a swathe of news related to the availability of brownfield sites that are prime (or already set) for future redevelopment.

The Homes and Communities Agency has said that councils will play a key role in highlighting appropriate brownfield land, and as such want to see permissions in place for homes on over 90% of suitable brownfield land by 2020. This could potentially create up to 200,000 new homes whilst at the same time also protect our green belt land.

According to a recent survey by property consultancy Daniel Watney, their data indicates that approximately 25,000 acres of brownfield land currently exists across the UK, which could be utilised for around 466,000 new homes.   This was based on 45% of council data, meaning that there could potentially be land for up to a million homes if all council land was taken into consideration.

We are already seeing industry land owners starting to take into account their land use, with National Grid pledging to free-up unused industrial land for redevelopment. 24 sites have already been earmarked for building, which includes removing disused gasometers. It is estimated that in the first 10 locations alone, approximately 7,000 properties could be developed across 84 acres of brownfield land.

Here at Landmark, we have seen this focus on brownfield growing over the past 18-months, as more and more organisations work together on identifying ways of remediating brownfield plots and rejuvenating them back into local communities.

Our environmental data and historical maps are able to provide a clear picture of exactly how the land has been used through the years, enabling thorough site assessments to be conducted so the correct remediation can take place prior to development.  

Recent enhancements to our Envirocheck Analysis tool give the ability to now see historical land use of a site overlaid with present hazards and environmental data.  This gives the ability to view potential sources, pathways and receptors together to gain a more comprehensive understanding of risk on a site and to execute a better phase 1 report. 

As such, brownfield land should not be feared for what might lie beneath the surface, but instead it is an opportunity for land that may have been affected by industrial or commercial usage in the past to be given a new lease of life, for future generations and communities.

Envirocheck Analysis - reveals the hidden secrets of an area or plot of land

Uncovering the Past: Stonehenge

It’s been interesting to watch recent reports regarding Stonehenge and, in particular, the discovery of 17 more significant sites that are linked to the ancient plot.

Over recent years, scientists from Birmingham University have been using technology to map the area and it is from this that the new shrines and burial mounds have been discovered.

Stonehenge is believed to be over 5,000 years old. While Landmark’s comprehensive collection of historical mapping does not reach back quite that far, our interest has been piqued by the use of LiDAR and laser scanning techniques to produce detailed terrain models, in addition to the way GIS has been used to overlay archaeological finds to analyse the site. All of which are very similar to the processes used today by our customers in the surveying, planning, environmental and construction industries.

Simply substitute burial mounds, solstice markers and druid procession routes with planning applications, contaminated land and environmental consultants, and hey presto!

From watching the developments at Stonehenge, it’s clear that today we are fortunate to have access to highly advanced mapping data and technologies that enable us to learn far more about our past than ever before.  And, from our customer’s point of view, having access to information regarding a piece of land’s former use can ultimately help shape the way the very same piece of land is used in the future.

Piers Edgell, Senior Account Manager and Matt Wills, Senior GIS Analyst, Landmark Information Group

Appendix:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2750005/The-hidden-empire-Stonehenge-Radar-scanners-17-sites-near-ancient-stones.html

Dataset Focus: Historical Maps

From 1843 to 1999: Get the full picture

Welcome to the first in a series of  'Dataset Focus' articles.  Today, we focus on our digital archive of historical maps, which happens to be the UK's largest and is designed to give you the most in-depth view of how your site has transformed over time.

We also provide some background to our Russian Maps, which were initially created by the USSR during the Cold War, and cover 103 UK towns and cities from 1950 to 1997.

Click here to access the further information.

Home of the Cadbury’s Creme Egg: Bournville factory – 'If the country is a good place to live in, why not to work in?’

By Mya Nolan & Daniel Lewis-Carter

The history of the Cadbury’s Creme Eggs current home - Bournville factory - goes as far back as 1879 when George and Richard Cadbury moved their chocolate factory from central Birmingham to Bournbrook Hall – 4 miles south of Birmingham.

The Cadbury’s story as detailed on their website describes a facility and philosophy which was unheard of in Victorian times.  The health and well-being of workers was of significant importance when the estate was developed.  Housing was provided for the workers and a field with a playground was developed to encourage sports.  George Cadbury’s philosophy behind his factory was: “If the country is a good place to live in, why not to work in?”

The estate expanded over the years.  By 1900, when control was formally handed over to the Bournville Village Trust, it included 313 cottages and houses set on 330 acres of land.  Today the estate contains 7,800 homes on 1,000 acres of land with 100 acres of parks and open spaces.

Chocolate production still continues in Bournville - amongst other well-known chocolates 1.2 million Cadbury Creme Eggs are made at the factory every day.

Did you know…

• At Landmark our unique archive of historical maps first shows a cocoa factory in a prime greenfield location next to the newly opened Birmingham & West Suburban branch of the Midland Railway and the Worcester & Birmingham canal (1884 OS County Series maps for Worcestershire).
• Subsequent historic maps show how the model village of Bournville expanded to accommodate the growing workforce, until by the post-war period it had been subsumed by the general urban spread from Birmingham.

At Landmark the unrivalled depth, breadth and range of our data enables us to identify and translate environmental and property risk into facts and insight.  Through our data, technology and team of experts we empower our customers to discover opportunities and make informed decisions - this is at the heart of what we do.

Information sourced from;

·         Express and Star – Article “Upgrade for Cadbury Bournville site” – January 23, 2014.

·         Cadburys – ‘The Story’ at cadburys.co.uk/the-story

Plotting the UK’s Ancient Woodlands

In an article by the BBC’s Science and Environment team this week, it was reported that the “scale of ancient woodland being lost to development is being made worse because of a lack of accurate data.”  

In the report, the Woodland Trust claimed that it is not possible to identify how much ancient forest has disappeared in the last decade.  

“Our data supports The Woodland Trust’s position that ancient woodland has been disappearing over many years,” confirms Chris Stubbs, Managing Director – Environment & Mapping at Landmark Information Group:  “However, it is not correct to say that data isn’t available to demonstrate what is being lost each year.  Here at Landmark, we have the data available to show designated ancient woodland, both historically and today, and can overlay a range of datasets to show how it has changed over the years.” 

By overlaying historic maps with ancient woodland maps (dating as far back to 1600 in England and Wales, or 1750 in Scotland), it is entirely possible to visualise any changes that may have occurred. And by overlaying data from current and approved planning applications we can identify if proposed or approved future developments put more ancient woodland at risk. 

Continues Chris: “The data is out there. Our historic mapping is able to reveal the changes to the natural landscape, with the impact of development being clearly visible not only for ancient woodland, but also on green belt, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, nature reserves, country parks, and many other notable locations.”

Landmark has an unrivalled source of large-scale current and historic digital maps together with high quality environmental risk and planning information.   Its digital archive of historical maps is the UK’s largest and most comprehensive, comprising of over one million historical maps.

 

 

 

Example Ordnance Survey maps showing an area located in Reading (NGR 466070, 154481)

Find out more about our data and services at:

www.landmark.co.uk

www.promap.co.uk

www.envirocheck.co.uk