Digital map reveals 17,000 brownfield sites that could house 1m new homes

A new digital map has identified more than 17,000 brownfield sites across England that could be used to build almost a million homes.

The National Housing Federation has mapped the sites, totalling around 27,000 hectares. And the National Federation of Builders (NFB) says the new digital tool could be used to deal with the crisis in property supply.

The map uses a number of filters to identify the sites, including ownership, planning status and geographical boundaries, while summarising what the site could offer in terms of the number of properties that could be built on it.

Rising to housing challenge

In Brighton, there are 162 identified brownfield sites. However, only 12 of those are publicly owned, which could provide a minimum of 773 houses.

Further north, Sheffield has 81 publicly owned sites that could become the site of 6,310 new homes. Across the Yorkshire region, a total of 300 sites have been included on the digital map, potentially providing 22,000 new homes.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “This tool is another example of the private sector rising to the housing challenge.

“It may not give the full brownfield story, but it serves as a reminder that local authorities must do more to enable development within our existing communities.”

Complexity of land ownership

And Rico Wojtulewicz, senior policy adviser of the House Builders Association (HBA), added: “There are a large number of brownfield sites not included in this tool, as well as sites that are not deliverable.

“Mapping them helps the entire housing supply chain understand how complex land ownership and sites allocations really are.”