Jump to main content.

International Brownfields Case Study:
National Groundwork Trust, Birmingham, England


Executive Summary

Brownfields redevelopment is more than just land acquisition, planning, and real estate financing-it's also about people and their sense of community. Successful efforts to clean and reuse abandoned properties require strong community leadership and meaningful citizen involvement. Moving beyond the basics of public participation, Britain's Groundwork Trust seeks to empower communities so they can reclaim derelict lands in their neighborhoods.

Established in 1981, Groundwork Trust is a non-profit or charitable organization dedicated to the economic, social, and environmental regeneration of communities devastated by the restructuring of the United Kingdom's industrial economy. Groundwork works closely with local government authorities, national agencies, and private companies to generate the resources and necessary support for its nationwide programs and regional initiatives. Given that Groundwork is a unique non-governmental organization (NGO), it has the flexibility to design and implement programs that complement the efforts of traditional governmental agencies and authorities. Its framework presents brownfields practitioners with another innovative model they can transfer and adapt to their own redevelopment efforts.

GROUNDWORK TRUST'S NGO MODEL

Groundwork's headquarters in Birmingham, England administers their national programs and coordinates financial grants and technical assistance to its network of forty-two (42) individual trusts located throughout the country. From a broad policy perspective, Groundwork's national presence gives it sufficient visibility and stature to procure private sponsorships from large companies, such as Barclays Bank, and to obtain funding and support from the central government for its nation-wide programs (i.e., Site-Savers and Changing Places). However, Groundwork accomplishes most of its goals through its regional trusts. They work directly with local governments, business leaders, and community groups to identify the area's most pressing environmental and economic problems and develop further partnerships to implement solutions.

A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO REGENERATING DERELICT LAND

When compared with mainstream brownfields approaches, Groundwork Trust tackles the broader issue of vacant and idle land, regardless of whether the property includes environmental contamination. Given this definition of brownfields, the scope of their programs is significantly larger. They recognize that abandoned homes or vacant lots in a residential neighborhood can have profound impacts on the environment and quality of life of its residents. The recycling of vacant residential properties plays an important role in the successful redevelopment of contaminated industrial properties by bringing back residents to these older, urban neighborhoods. Instead of creating islands or pockets of redeveloped industrial properties, Groundwork takes a more comprehensive view by reclaiming any derelict property.

At the heart of Groundwork's mission is the community. Social regeneration can help the regeneration of the environment and the economy. Virtually all of Groundwork's programs include education and training components. School programs, youth development, and volunteering are core components of Groundwork's holistic approach. Given the high levels of youth unemployment, Groundwork involves teenagers and young adults in the cleanup and reuse of derelict land. By getting them to "roll up their sleeves" and work, Groundwork encourages the community's younger members to take pride in their neighborhood and develop a sense of accomplishment.

Prevention of idle and abandoned property is another programmatic theme of Groundwork. As part of its efforts through a network of Business Environment Associations, regional trusts have helped small business parks upgrade their physical surroundings and premises. Many of these old business parks were losing tenants and had become havens for illegal activities. Instead of waiting until the property became vacant, Groundwork empowered the business parks' tenants to improve their physical surroundings as a way to decrease vandalism and illegal activities, increase business, and bring in new tenants. This successful venture in brownfields prevention is a strategy that many communities can adopt.

PARALLELS WITH GROUNDWORK/USA

Groundwork's philosophies of brownfields redevelopment and community empowerment have begun to take hold in the Northeastern United States through the creation of Groundwork/USA [1]. Like the UK program, Groundwork/USA operates both at the national and local trust level - and both support each other in planning and implementing projects. The local trusts have developed an independence level similar to the UK model.

Groundwork/USA, began organizing in 1996. Based in Boston, MA, it is led by a broad steering committee of business, nonprofits, and public organizations and is coordinated by the National Park Service (NPS). It currently supports the local trusts in Bridgeport, Ct, Lawrence, MA, and Providence, R.I. by pooling resources from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NPS, and other steering committee members. Though the trusts are developing their own format of operation, each focuses on the tangible accomplishments of reclaiming vacant lots, improving public spaces, and leveraging public and private dollars. They pursue the same holistic approach of community empowerment, capacity-building, encouraging local pride, and providing education and job training.

Funding is another aspect of Groundwork/USA that is distinct from its predecessor Groundwork UK. While most initial financing of local trusts comes from public sources as in the UK, Groundwork/USA focuses on locating more start-up funds from the private sector. Through leveraging the participation of private interests and nonprofit organizations in project communities, Groundwork/USA has been able to put its resources directly to work. In addition to coordinating the budgets and workplans of existing programs to achieve greater efficiency, part of the costs for staff and overhead at the local trusts will be defrayed on a fee-for-service charge to projects.

While the structure and funding is slightly different, Groundwork/USA's mission remains similar to Groundwork UK - reduce blight in communities, redevelop under-used properties, and foster pride among citizens. The US organization has been able to generate interest and achieve some early successes. For example, Groundwork Trust/Providence has put young people to work on its new Art Park project with funds from US EPA's Urban Environmental Initiative, the Trust for Public Lands, municipal bonds, and private foundations. The project is helping a middle school use nearby land for providing outdoor performance space and environmental education to students and neighborhood residents.

Although newly established, Groundwork/USA hopes to expand throughout the Northeast and possibly, to the national level. Plans are already underway for establishing three new local trusts. Building on its new success, Groundwork/USA is on the road to replicating many of the lessons from its UK counterpart.

Setting the Stage - History & Background

Groundwork Trust, a non-profit organization established in 1981, seeks to address the social and environmental degradation caused by the restructuring of the United Kingdom's heavy industries.[2] A comparison of two critically acclaimed films illustrates the sense of despair that people have experienced in regions of the United Kingdom once completely dependent on a single industry. One film portrays five unemployed men who creatively pursue "alternative" means of work, namely strip dancing. Contrast this with another film that depicts the struggles surrounding a colliery brass band whose members abruptly lose their jobs - and one gains a sense of the desolation that is experienced in these communities.

In addition to high crime and unemployment rates, residents in these communities often have inadequate access to recreational facilities, transportation, and educational opportunities. This combination of factors has led to deficient morale for many citizens.

Groundwork Trust's mission is to empower communities such as these to achieve economic, social, and environmental regeneration. Groundwork began as a pilot project in one region. Today 25% of the UK population lives in an area served by one of the 42 individual trusts operating throughout the country.[3] Groundwork's activities have been successful in part because their solutions fall outside the purview of traditional government structures.

Framework and Approach: People, Environment, Economy

Each of Groundwork's 42 trusts is governed by a board of directors which is drawn from the community it serves. A national foundation office supports the individual trusts through financial grants and technical assistance. A membership agreement ensures that all trusts provide consistent and high quality services. The combined income for the trusts in 1995/1996 was close to £25 million (US$41 million) comprised of contributions by the central government (41%), local government authorities (33%), the private sector (19%), and the European Union (4%).

Groundwork has adopted a holistic approach to problem-solving. The founders of the organization recognized that the people living in these communities were the key to successful regeneration. Although the majority of funds is spent on physical upgrades, these expenditures coincide with education and training opportunities for the community. School programs, youth development, and volunteering are core components of the Groundwork approach.[4]

Another core component to the Groundwork strategy is the effort to increase the profitability of small and medium-sized companies through efficient environmental stewardship. Thus, Business Environment Associations have been established which provide such services as "Green Start Reviews," telephone hotlines, seminars, and access to low cost environmental services.

Environmental remediation, including brownfields cleanups, encompass the largest share of Groundwork activities.[5] However, they are performed by directly involving community members to the greatest possible extent in both the decision-making and the actual cleanup. As such, Groundwork's results are gauged by the added value that is brought to projects, through in-kind contributions, volunteer time, and overall quality of the project.[6]

Groundworks' Relationship & Role with Local Government Authorities

Local government authorities facilitate redevelopment of derelict lands through mainstream public programs and resources. Groundwork's role is to complement these activities by filling in the gaps that lie beyond the authority of local government. Groundwork's 42 regional trusts have very strong working relationships with the local government authorities in their areas. Many of the regional trusts' advisory boards include local government officials. Groundwork recognizes that its role is to assist the community and the local authorities in their efforts to regenerate vacant lands.

Groundwork frequently serves as a bridge to the private sector, attracting resources that local governments may not be able to solicit. Certain private businesses and foundations may find it easier to give Groundwork funds for public projects instead of the local authorities.[7] Groundwork also has the ability to creatively leverage local government funds. Rather than being constrained by the annual government budget cycles, Groundwork can spend monies over the lifetime of the project, generally two or three years.

Beyond the flexibility of funding, local governments face other constraints that Groundwork does not. For example, local governments have an entirely different the organizational culture. The way they operate often renders a dramatically different outlook than entrepreneurial groups such as Groundwork. In theory local governments may have the authority to pursue many of the activities that Groundwork does, but they choose not to. One explanation is that local authorities are already encumbered with their day-to-day statutory duties in addition to funding constraints that structurally inhibit their creative abilities. Moreover, the national government in the UK can restrict or expand the power of local governments by creating new local government entities or structures. For example, during the Thatcher Administration, the national government imposed a new system of local development corporations to oversee construction of major infrastructure projects, thereby seriously inhibiting this traditional local government power.[8]

Regulatory and Programmatic Framework: Overview of the UK's Contaminated Land Laws[9]

The United Kingdom in 1995 amended its Environmental Protection Act, significantly affecting the way it handles contaminated land.[10] Section 57 created a new regime for the management of environmental problems associated with contaminated lands, including a specific definition and special procedures for their control.[11] These changes implemented a more "risk-based" approach which requires regulatory action only when necessary to prevent unacceptable risks to human health and the environment by taking into account future land use and environmental setting. Given this emphasis on land use, local authorities will play a major role in assessing potential risks from the proposed cleanup and land development. Local governments' primary regulatory role rests with boroughs and district councils. This vesting of responsibility with local authorities reflects their inherent land use planning powers and their statutory authority to abate public nuisances.[12] Section 57 requires local authorities to:

Under the liability provisions of this law, the responsibility for paying for remediation follows the essence of the polluter pays principles found in the United States and in other European Community countries. The responsible party must, however, have "caused or knowingly permitted" the contamination. It does appear that a modified form of strict liability applies to the cleanup of contaminated lands in the United Kingdom. For example, if the polluter cannot be found, then liability remains with the current owner or occupier of the site, except in the case of water pollution.[15]

The national government does play a important role, albeit indirect, in this new framework for cleaning up contaminated lands. As part of its relatively new mission, the UK's Environment Agency [16] will:

Groundwork's Brownfields Programs

Brownfields redevelopment in the UK has been successfully occurring for at least a decade. Brownfields initiatives in the UK encompass a broader definition of redevelopment that includes the transformation of under-used land regardless if it has environmental contamination. Many of these properties are residential and have become vacant, abandoned or are otherwise derelict.[20] Other sites are the result of industrial activity that will require further cleanup before the property can be reused. Whatever the condition of the property, Groundwork's approach with all projects is to engage the local community spirit and expertise to help form redevelopment initiatives. Groundwork acknowledges that, while directly involving citizens sometimes requires more initial effort, success ultimately depends on community support for the project.

Brownfields Funding: Within the UK, English Partnerships (EP) does most of the funding and program coordination for brownfields redevelopment. As a national agency, EP works on the long-term regeneration of vacant properties, contaminated land cleanups, the reinvestment of former coal-field sites, and financial planning for local communities.[21] EP also coordinates its efforts with private interests that seek local investment in brownfields redevelopment. In 1995-96, Britain's Early Action Program, aimed at reviving derelict lands, was funded with £1 million ($1,630,700) from EP and £1.7 million ($2,772,200) from local authorities and private interests.[22]

In addition to the regular funding of English Partnerships, the Millenium Commission financially supports redevelopment of derelict and contaminated lands. The Commission, a temporary organization set up by the national government and funded through the national lottery, currently finances a number of projects around the UK. Brownfields redevelopment is a major focus of the Commission as each project must be completed by the year 2000 to celebrate the new millenium.

Both EP and the Commision fund brownfields redevelopment projects coordinated through the Groundwork Trust's regeneration programs. Currently, Groundwork assists with about 10% of all derelict and contaminated land reclamation in England and Wales,[23] with most of its funds coming from the English Partnerships' Investment Fund. Two of Groundwork's national brownfields programs are highlighted below.

SiteSavers: In a poll taken in 1995, 70% of citizens in the UK agreed that derelict or under-used land greatly reduces the quality of life for those living in affected communities.[24] Many of these communities, however, lack the funds to turn these properties back into useful public spaces. In response to this concern, Groundwork created the SiteSavers program, with the help of Barclays Bank, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, the Wildlife Trusts and Scottish Conservation Projects. The program seeks innovative solutions for fighting derelict land throughout the UK. Sitesavers represent some of the most creative responses for reclaiming under-used land, with the communities themselves serving as the driving force behind these projects.

Through a three-year, £1 million ($1,630,700) partnership with Barclays Bank, Groundwork and Barclays make sixty (60) annual awards to communities with the greatest need and/or the most original scheme. Training on redevelopment strategies is also supported by the Bank and carried out by Groundwork and other environmental organizations. Most sites that receive funding are redeveloped into recreational areas, community gardens, wildlife refuges, and parks. Local citizen groups citizens design the plans for these public spaces, emphasizing sites that will have a long-lasting, positive impact on the community.

The Murder Mile: Surrey Square, the only open space between a series of five-story blocks of apartments in the London Borough of Southwark, is the scene of one of Barclays SiteSavers' most successful community projects. Once littered with trash and used hypodermic needles, the square nicknamed the "Murder Mile" had become a danger zone within the compound. Children who had once used it as a play yard abandoned it years ago.

In an effort to rescue the area, the Surrey Square Tenants' Association created a regeneration plan and applied for a grant from Barclays SiteSavers. The money is being spent in ways that will benefit the whole community: a sports facility, a horticulture nursery, and a new play area for young children.

Circle of Success: Groundwork Wrexham and Barclays SiteSavers have collaborated on a project to transform a bleak-looking public space located along council flats in the South Tyneside metropolitan area. At a total cost of £4,500 ($7,338), a colorful, four meter-wide mosaic was laid as the centerpiece of this now popular gathering spot for local residents. Children helped piece together the complex pattern of the artwork that was chosen by residents, ward councilors, and other local groups.

Changing Places: Changing Places was formed to implement the recommendations of a seminal study on the impacts and scope of derelict lands. The study, Changing Places, conducted by Professor John Hanley in the early 1980s, focused on what do to with large tracts of vacant land left behind following the demise of the coal mining industry. Derelict land had historically been the province of local authorities, addressed with derelict land grants provided by the central government. Consequently, cleanup of these lands was generally under the purview of local civil engineers who did not adequately focus their energies on redevelopment options. In addition, residents did not play a central role in the cleanup and reuse decisions until the 1990s.

Changing Places now brings these issues together as one of Groundwork's most comprehensive programmatic initiatives, comcomprising many of the larger-scale projects beneath the broader Groundwork umbrella. To date, the organization has redeveloped 21 projects for a total reclamation of over 2,400 acres of land.

Recreation -- Of the 21 Changing Places projects, seven involve former coal fields (e.g., creating hiking trails, etc.). The focus is predominantly on recreational uses of derelict land, such as open space protection and habitat creation and regeneration.

Recycling -- In all of their regeneration and cleanup efforts, Changing Places incorporates recycled and reused materials whenever feasible.

Community Art -- One of its more creative endeavors has been an arts initiative involving the current 21 Changing Places development projects. Frames with captions were given to the respective local trusts to fill in with artwork that embodies each of these 21 projects. The goal is to fill the frame with 441 works of community art by the year 2,000 to help celebrate the new century and reflect the communities' aspirations.

Overall, Changing Places has a budget of £50 million ($82 million) assembled from a combination of funding sources. The Millennium Commission provided an initial grant of £22 million ($36 million) and Groundwork was able to obtain matching funds through private sources. Fortunately, the Millennium funding is not overly restrictive, which gives CP the flexibility to take on a variety of projects. Consultation with the community regarding redevelopment projects is critical to Changing Places' success. With the exception of about three sites, all of the properties are publicly owned - which emphasizes the community's role in decision-making. As a general rule, the land being considered must involve a public purpose in some fashion. Future uses of these sites are controlled through deeds of dedication, which require that the designated public use of the land remain in place for 99 years.

Changing Places Examples

South Wales -- Once a testament to this region's strip mining industry, when mining began to decline in the 1980s, abandoned coal fields dotted the countryside, leaving coal spoils to contaminate the land. Acidic water from the mines polluted properties. After requests by the community to clean up the contamination, the local authority's redevelopment trust finally took over the old drift buildings in an attempt to regenerate South Wales. The community confronted similar issues to that of the Emscher Landscape Park in Germany as they began redevelopment efforts to convert the coal fields into a historical landmark area.

Tourism, along with recreational activities, were an obvious option for reuse of the South Wales land. The community, together with Groundwork, helped design a plan for an interactive park, complete with a large climbing wall and several bike trails. The local trust holds courses on community and team-building skills at the site. A canoe course on the river is planned for the future.

Berryhill Fields Study -- Berryhill Fields in the town of Stoke on Trent is the site of a former coal field about 173 acres in area, bearing remnant spoil mounds and 120 former mining pit shafts. Since industrial activity ceased approximately 15 years ago, the property has reverted back to a great grass land - near to the city center and surrounded by housing. In the late 1980s British Coal submitted a bid to reopen the land to cast mining, but area residents successfully fought to defeat the offer. Realizing they one day may lose the Fields to heavy development, local authority planners and landscape architects quickly assembled a proposal to the Millennium Commission to preserve the land as open space. Funds for the preservation were secured from a variety of sources, including the Commission. European Union support from the RECHAR Programme (for former coalfield areas) were also used to construct a bike path linking Berryhill to the city center, making the area widely accessible to nearby citizens.[25] Additional funding from English Partnerships also helped secure Berryhill Fields' future.

Waterford Heath Scheme -- Waterford Heath, a 100- acre site owned by Redland Aggregates, is slated for regeneration, thanks to the efforts of Changing Places and a handful of residents from the area. Located in Hertfordshire, the one-time gravel pit is undergoing a transformation into a natural haven for native species, including orchids, grass snakes, wild strawberries, and 26 species of butterfly. Redland Aggregates, which still owns the land, has been an important partner in the redevelopment scheme by leasing some of the land directly to Groundwork for 99 years. They have also pledged £113,000 ($184,270) in funding towards regenerating Waterford Heath.

GreenIT -- Integrated into the goals of regenerating brownfields in the UK is the idea that young people can make a difference in the success of a project. Groundwork realizes that sometimes the process of reaching an agreement and carrying out a project is more valuable to the community than the product itself. The highly successful national program called GreenIT is a way Changing Places has included children in its projects and augmented their education by making this new learning tool available to teachers. The program takes hundreds of children out of the classroom and puts them in the real world of improving their local environment through landscape architecture. The Dudley Education Department in conjunction with private interests developed a Resource Pack which has been distributed to 200 partners nationwide.

In summary, the high visibility of Changing Places gives citizens an idea about the scope of Groundwork's brownfields efforts. All of the program's projects must be completed by December 31st of the year 2,000, given the Millennium Commission's funding conditions. Thus, the program's cumulative impact within this decade will soon be evident throughout the country. Changing Places also affects what happens at the regional trust level since local authority partners have to work closely with the trusts on a number of projects. A study currently taking place at the University of Manchester by Professor John Hanley on the relationship among Groundwork and its partners will soon tell more about the dynamics of this particular redevelopment process. If it is to outlive the millennium, Hanley says, Groundwork indeed needs to become a "learned voice" in these issues of urban environmental regeneration.[26]

Spotlight on Black Country Trust

Individual trusts are established when the National Groundwork Office identifies sufficient need and interest within a community. The Black Country Trust was formed in 1988 and directs activities of four participating boroughs (analogous to US counties).[27] The organizational structure of the office includes local government authorities from each of the boroughs, as well as a liaison at the National Groundwork Foundation. The Black Country Trust employs 38 staff, 10 full-time volunteers, and several consultants.

The Black Country is located in the English Midlands, northwest of Birmingham, England. Much of the land in the Black Country is heavily despoiled from limestone and coal mining. The closing of these operations has left behind foundry wastes sites and more canals than Venice, Italy.

Groundwork Black Country concentrates on the two metro boroughs that are most in need of financial and technical resources. These activities are supported by other organizations, including the English Partnership, local authorities, health authorities, businesses, and housing departments. The national government also funds a few of the Black Country's programs. Groundwork's central offices coordinates these national funds, although the total amount allocated from the national government continues to decrease over time.

While programs vary from trust to trust, Groundwork Black Country takes on a holistic approach by integrating physical/environmental, social, and economic goals into all of its projects. In order to ensure that land is not improved purely for the sake of reclamation or private profit, a framework is applied to evaluate all existing and proposed projects. This Mission Matrix, shown below, requires that all Black Country projects include these four themes. The strict use of the matrix exhibits the organization's commitment to long-term solutions.

Integration of Social Programs with Redevelopment - The Dudley Housing Project

In the Dudley Housing Project, local housing authorities initially employed national funds to upgrade the interiors of dilapidated homes. Residents were trained in remodeling skills such as carpentry and plumbing so they could do the work on their own house. Unfortunately, these funds were resticted to only upgrading the house itself and not the common areas around the project, which were often in just as much need of repair as the homes themselves. Neglect of public spaces resulted from a lack of community pride and a sense of ownership. This neighborhood, with unemployment three times higher than the national average, life expectancy seven years less than the national average, low school test scores, and high crime, clearly demanded attention to social issues before successful redevelopment efforts could take hold. Prolonged social disinvestment had taken its toll. Public property was not respected, and certain residents had taken to improper disposal of their rubbish, i.e. dumping the trash over their back fence onto common lands and alley ways.

Groundwork felt that a comprehensive approach was necessary for long-term regeneration of the Dudley Housing Project, and therefore, proposed a one day visioning workshop for the community. They organized five working groups, one of which addressed the physical environment (the "green and clean group"). Master plans were created after soliciting the needs and desires of the citizens. One outcome of this visioning process was a strong desire for public gardens. Groundwork found existing public training funds to conduct workshops on horticulture. Plans were also made to plant an orchard in the town center for residents to grow their own fruit with the hope of improvoing their diets. Local health officials were amazed that many teenagers living in the project had never seen or eaten a fresh head of lettuce or an apple. Given this public health focus, the local health authority volunteered to help coordinate the orchard development and use.

Business Services Programs

Early on, Groundwork Black Country recognized that long-term effectivess of its environmental programs would depend on the success of the region's economy. With 95% of the region's businesses having fewer than 25 employees, including many family-run enterprises, the entire sustainability of the region depends on the performance of its small businesses. If Groundwork Black Country failed to provide sufficient technical assistance, instability of this business sector could severely impair the local economy and further impede the organization's efforts to garner public support for its land regeneration initiatives. Since environmental concerns are usually not small business' top priority, Groundwork would need to expand its outreach efforts, thereby educating small business owners that their environmental programs could help them remain economically competitive.

Given these circumstances, Groundwork Black Country's business service programs must stress competitiveness. Groundwork's objective is to help business owners increase their revenues and obtain preferred status from suppliers, resulting in more stable business ventures. They also apply Groundwork's mission matrix to its business program focusing on the preservation of natural resources with the integration of environmental, economic and social goals.

One of Groundwork's green business ventures is providing small businesses with environmental management consultancy on issues of pollution prevention, green packaging, and waste minimization. In addition to these essential environmental management services, the organization employs its community empowerment strategies by developing links with schools and neighborhoods. For example, Groundwork Black Country helped organize several environmental business associations within regional industrial parks. Because these business tenants confront issues that are similar to residential neighborhoods (property crimes and public nuisances), finding collective solutions through an association prevents the better companies from relocating to greenfield sites.

The Premier Business Park in Wallsall

Once a thriving industrial center, the Premier Business Park, located near the center of Wallsall in the heart of the industrialized West Midlands, fell into a state of serious disrepair during the early 1980s.[28] Strict planning regulations were eased, resulting in the occupancy of inapproriate firms. Poor roads and lack of street lighting made the business park a haven for illegal criminal activity, especially vandalism and prostitution. The overall premises and look of the buildings declined while the number of companies seeking to move out increased.Several tenants approached the Walsall Chamber of Commerce for help. Meetings were held with the police, the local government authority, and environmental organizations. Companies in the general area were also concerned, fearing that the plight of the Premier Business Park could spread. The Chamber approached both the local authority and Groundwork Trust to see what assistance they could offer. Within a short period of time, Groundwork Black Country developed an Environmental Improvement Program.[29] Groundwork understood that any real progress would depend on tapping the strong sense of ownership and commitment from the remaining business tenants.

Although Groundwork had developed an improvement plan, the next step was to gain sufficient support among the tenants. After several meetings, the companies agreed to partially fund the plan with annual contributions of £450 ($735) each. Their contributions helped leverage over £80,000 ($130,450) of urban program funds.[30] Given this strong commitment by all of the tenants and support from the local authority, the business park quickly removed the rubbish and graffiti. Subsequently, the concrete walls were replaced with planting beds, shrubs and trees to screen the imposing exterior walls. By enhancing the buinsess park's physical appearance, the tenants felt they had made a worthwhile investment to stay. The companies agreed to officially charter the Premier Business Park (Walsall) Ltd. as a way to formalize the environmental improvement program and their commitment.

After this initial stage, the focus turned to other issues. Local companies pressed for more extensive improvements to make Walsall a more attractive place to do business. New street lighting was installed, reducing overall crime in the area. Parking was improved to ensure better access for deliveries. Perhaps the most important addition, an Estate Committee Coordinator was hired through a partnership between the Chamber of Commerce and a local nonprofit. The Coordinator works with Premier, various public agencies, and potential private sector investors to plan activities and services for Park companies. These include corporate training, group purchasing, and coordinated waste management and security. The Coordinator has also been able to influence local planning policies in ways that favor local business. The new post has made the difference in shaping a vision for Walsall, reestablishing a sense of community.

One of the keys to Groundwork Black Country's overall success is applying the basic principles of community empowerment to the business sector. Once they achieved the buy-in and a sense of ownership on the part of local companies, these businesses take on the responsibility for the individual properties as well as for the surrounding areas. Walsall is showing promising results: through 1996 projected growth is expected to be over 100% and total employment is expected to increase by 26%.[31]

Groundwork's next challenge is replicating and promoting these good practices in other communities while it financially supports the momentum needed for locally-generated ideas. The relationship of Groundwork to the communities is much like that of a parent. Once the community is self-sufficient, Groundwork returns only to provide consulting support as needed.

Site number 19

Two canal basins totaling 4.2 hectares (10 acres) were originally designated as a site for local conservation. Because the canals contained contaminated silt, the threat of seepage into the Birmingham River posed liability obstacles, and thus, stagnated private development. Given that these sites were prime business locations, Groundwork managed to structure a deal with the Local Development Commission (LDC) to purchase the property. The LDC agreed to bring in an auto distribution center, which, along with other stakeholders, would erect piling to shore up the canal and prevent leaking of the contamination. This cost of £15,000 ($24,589), caused the developer to reduce the land price to perform the initial work. Although the site is not going to be improved by removing the contaminates, Groundwork offered to manage it for 125 years as trustee with a £70,000 ($114,150) endowment. The lease limits liability to the freeholder. Groundwork will use volunteers to help manage the site.

ENDNOTES

1 Interview with Douglas Evans , Program Manager at the US National Park Service for Groundwork/USA.

2 Output from Britain's coal mines has dropped by half in the past decade and the industry's remaining 27 pits are facing a final decline of the industry. "Coal in Europe: Yesterday's Fuel", The Economist Newspaper Ltd. Nov. 29, 1997.

3 Groundwork Annual Report, 1995-1996.

4 Groundwork Annual Report, 1995-1996.

5 Groundwork Annual Report, 1995-1996.

6 Groundwork Annual Report, 1995-1996.

7 Manchester University is conducting a survey, under the direction of Professor John Hanley, to determine how Groundwork successfully leverages private resources.

8 This system is distinct from the city-challenge initiative. The local development corporations are slated to dissolve at a pre-set date.

9 Given the relatively recent changes (1995-96) in the United Kingdom's regulatory framework for contaminated lands, it was difficult to find current publications that describe in depth how these changes are being implemented by the national and local governments. Thus, much of the analysis in this section is based on documents that discuss how this new framework will work."

10 Ian Martin, Report for the Department of the Environment Contaminated Land and Liabilities Division, Journal of Land Contamination & Reclamation, Vol. 5: No. 1, 1997. For further information regarding this report, please contact the authors, Ian Martin, CRBE, Nottingham Trent University, Burtson St., Nottingham NG1 4BU; e-mail: ian.martin@ntu.uk

11 Ibid.

12 Ibid. Although this contaminated land framework is relatively new, its overall structure and the nature of its control are very similar to local governments' general powers under "statutory nuisance."

13 For any land identified as contaminated, the local authority must find contaminating substances and establish that such substances in the soil are likely to cause harm to particular "targets." This new regime basically employs a risk assessment process to identify contaminated lands. Ibid.

14 Ibid. Section 143 of the original Environmental Protection Act of 1990 provided for the registration of contaminated lands. Curiously, Section 57 repealed this requirement, placing greater responsibility on the buyer and the inherent safeguards found in the real estate transaction process. Compare this action with the concerns over the ability of the market place alone to inform buyers about past contamination and the call for greater involvement of local governments in the implementation and oversight of institutional controls. For more information about the role of local government, see a recent ICMA report, "Local Government Use of Institutional Controls at Contaminated Sites", April 1998.

15 Ibid.

16 Section 57 actually created a new Environmental Agency, effective April 1, 1996, by integrating the functions of the National Rivers Authority, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution, a few technical divisions of the Department of the Environment, and local waste regulation authorities. Ibid.

17 As part of its research program, the Environment Agency is developing a package of "statutory guidance" that will provide the detailed parameters for professional and technical judgments for site-specific cleanups (i.e., standard procedures and soil guidelines values). Ibid. Similar to the Canadian model found in the province of Ontario, this guidance is advisory and not statutory.

18 As of the publication of this article (late 1996), the UK government had not yet begun its extensive consultation process to promulgate these regulations.

19 Ibid.

20 British officials estimate that as much as 80% of new housing developments in Britain must now take place on brownfields.

21 English Partnerships website: http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk. Exit EPA disclaimer

22 Groundwork Annual Report, 1995-1996.

23 "Introducing Groundwork: people in action for the environment" (pamphlet).

24 Barclays SiteSavers (pamphlet).

25 Groundwork Annual Report, 1995-1996.

26 Professor John Hanley's chair of ecology, land restoration, and management at the University of Manchester, England, is partially funded by Groundwork.

27 This focus on Black Country Trust is based on materials supplied by the Trust and an interview with its Executive Director, Jeremy Bruce.

28 Premier Business Park was originally zoned in the 1960s as an industrial area and, at one time, was quite successful.

29 Premier Business Park Walsall (pamphlet).

30 Premier Business Park Walsall (pamphlet).

31 Premier Business Park, Walsall (pamphlet).

Please email comments on this website to:Brownfields-Web-Comments@epamail.epa.gov

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.