Not all brownfields are equal: A typological assessment reveals hidden green space in the city

While the role of urban green space in mitigating environmental hazards and enhancing resilience is widely recognised, current or potential contribution brownfield land to infrastructure ecosystem services has been largely overlooked by planning legislation. The perception as low value spaces instead driven a focus on brownfield-first redevelopment, thus, this dynamic resource quickly being lost. This research, based GIS remote sensing data, develops novel hierarchical classification methodology understand nature distribution brownfield, using k-means clustering several physical attributes, which can be used for range objectives applicable post-industrial cities. Application case study, Greater Manchester, UK, produced typology twenty-six types with distinct characteristics differing spatial patterns across city. Land cover analysis reveals that over half (51%) vegetated (comprising 27% trees shrubs, 24% grass herbaceous vegetation), highlighting significant ‘hidden’ present brownfield. Brownfield sites traditionally perceived difficult develop (e.g. those uneven topography, irregular shapes, water body), are particularly highly vegetated. Predominantly pervious distributed conurbation, including built-up areas, principal target thus brownfields likely lost undetected. evidently valuable cities redevelopment should planned at city-scale ensure careful strategic selection greening, interim use upon their location.