In 2003 the Forestry Commission, Advantage West Midlands, Groundwork and the Environment Agency commissioned a desk study to compile a database of brownfield land sites in priority areas, namely Regeneration Zones, former coal fields and areas of deprivation.
Sites with potential for reclamation to quality greenspace, including woodland, and also with the potential to help deliver sustainable communities were highlighted in the database.
This study revealed:
- Over 900 brownfield sites (almost 5000 ha) within priority areas
- 54% (almost 2700 ha) have definite or possible potential for greenspace end use
- 46% (2300 ha) are unlikely to have or have no potential for greenspace end use
In December 2004, the Environment and Natural Resources Topic Group put forward two gap filling submissions to the User Group, which related to this existing sites opportunities database:
- Phase 1: ongoing maintenance and updating of sites database
- Phase 2: development of a decision support tool - a Public Benefit Recording System (PBRS)
Initial discussions with the Forestry Commission revealed that a regional workshop had indicated the most value to the region was seen to come from phase 2. Prior to approving work, the User Group requested that more scoping was done to assess the Regional need for a PBRS. The scoping project was divided into two stages:
- Stage one consisted of a cross-sector needs analysis which assessed how partners could use a PBRS for making decisions regarding development of Brownfield land and examined funding possibilities and levels of commitment from stakeholders
- Stage Two proposed various options for the design of a PBRS to meet the needs identified in stage one
Consultants, TEP (The Environment Partnership) weren commissed to carry out scoping of this project. Reports were published at the end of each stage. The phase two report sets out options for the development of a PBRS once a decision is taken about whether to commission one.