**2. Brownfield definitions**

In the beginning of brownfield‐related researches, one important problem is the lack of a common definition accepted by all countries in the world. The term "brownfield site" has different meanings in different countries. According to USEPA's renewed official definition brownfield site is "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant".1 Unlike the EPA's definition, brownfields are more referred to "previously developed lands" than "contaminated sites" in UK and are accepted as all abounded, idled,

<sup>1</sup> Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, 2002.

or underused properties with fixed infrastructure and developed surface on site regardless of whether contamination is present or not [3]. In fact, most of the European countries do not determine the brownfields directly related with the contamination on the site [4]. But this does not mean that contamination is neglected in the brownfield redevelopment. What‐ ever the definition, brownfields can be characterized with some common features such as economic failure, difficulties in attracting new investors, high unemployment rate, negative effects on urban life, social conflicts, consumption of greenfields [5].

**Keywords:** Deindustrialization, brownfields redevelopment, sustainable develop‐

In recent years, there has been a strong emphasis on brownfield redevelopment as a type of urban regeneration with a strong link to sustainable development in developed countries. As Dixon [1] indicates, such an approach highlights the importance of reusing and recycling brownfield sites in order to improve the urban environments and to release development

However, brownfields are generally not economically competitive when compared with greenfields without any public intervention. There are economic, social, and environmental barriers in returning the brownfields to beneficial uses. In spite of all problems, these sites may include, they are also regarded as an opportunity in providing sustainable urban development

Sustainability has become a major issue in development strategies since the end of 1980s. As it is well known, in Brutland Report sustainable development is defined as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" [2]. At this point, it is necessary to think about whether all the brownfields regeneration projects really obtain sustainable development in the cities. What are the driving forces, policies, and handicaps in returning these areas into beneficial uses? Such a thought impulse us to ask what are the essential strategies in sustainable brownfield regeneration? Before determining the sustainable brownfield regeneration, it may be useful to look at the

In the beginning of brownfield‐related researches, one important problem is the lack of a common definition accepted by all countries in the world. The term "brownfield site" has different meanings in different countries. According to USEPA's renewed official definition brownfield site is "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or

developed lands" than "contaminated sites" in UK and are accepted as all abounded, idled,

Unlike the EPA's definition, brownfields are more referred to "previously

and to bring extra values into poor‐quality lands and declined urban parts.

definitions about brownfields in all around the world.

Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, 2002.

**2. Brownfield definitions**

contaminant".1

1

ment, privatization, environmental policies

**1. Introduction**

138 Sustainable Urbanization

pressures.

Unfortunately, lack of commitment on the term of brownfield makes difficult to determine the amount and dimension of the problem and also to designate common strategies for the sustainable development.

In spite of these complexities, the organizations such as RESCUE (Regeneration of European Sites in Cities and Urban Environments) try to define a common strategy and recommenda‐ tions for EU countries through conducted analysis among the members. The main objective of RESCUE is to make brownfield redevelopment a key part of European Union's strategy on sustainable urban development and to show the EU what tools are necessary to maintain sustainability [6].

Another brownfield organization, funded by the Environment and Climate Programme of European Commission, CLARINET's (Contaminated Land Rehabilitation Network for Environmental Technologies) primary objectives are to develop technical recommendations for sound decision‐making on the rehabilitation of contaminated sites in Europe and to identify research and development needs, in particular in relation to the EC Fifth Framework Pro‐ gramme [16]. CLARINET developed the concept of Risk Based Land Management as a step forward toward an integration of sustainable soil quality, the protection of water, and land‐ use management in environmental policy. In a report of CLARINET on brownfields, published in 2002, it is indicated that brownfields are spatial planning and ecological problem in relation to human health and it is proposed that successful brownfield redevelopment needs to have an integrated approach that addresses environmental and spatial planning problems simul‐ taneously [6].

From this point of view, it must be noted that the main objective of brownfield redevelop‐ ment is not reuse or reintegration of land. It aims to supply a combination of social, envi‐ ronmental, and economic benefits through sustainable development perspective [7].

As a result of the emergence of the sustainable development and brownfield regeneration agendas, there has been increased debate over the concept of "sustainable brownfield regen‐ eration". In this context, Dixon [1] tries to determine a number of sustainable brownfield development objectives to develop actions at the site level. These are minimizing the use of resources, minimizing pollution, protecting biodiversity and the natural environment, protecting the industrial heritage, and protecting the cultural environment.

It is possible to designate additional objectives related with the countries' and cities' visions and economic and environmental priorities such as, job creation, quality of life improvement, reducing urban sprawl.
