Is brownfield land the same as contaminated land?
Not necessarily. Brownfield describes previously developed land, but a brownfield site isn’t necessarily contaminated. Many brownfield sites may be affected by some contamination but this doesn’t necessarily constitute what’s legally defined as contaminated land. A brownfield site that has had some contamination but hasn’t been cleared up properly may be declared as contaminated land. Not all contaminated sites are on brownfield land. Undeveloped land can become contaminated by neighbouring land that has been contaminated or through pollution. Some may even appear to be greenfield sites, for example a former restored landfill.
