The aim of the study was classification of brownfields in the South Bohemia and finding their causes.
Methodically, we based our theory on the Jankových-Kirchner study (2005) where we can find an applicable classification for the Czech Republic. Jankových-Kirchner modified the terminology of the European classification used for example in Germany or France – she replaced the term “no development potential” for “minimal development potential.”
The classification of brownfields was carried out according to development potential, investments and classes.
The characteristic of classes of brownfields is as follows:
o Self-development – high land value, low costs of regeneration, no need of public investment
o Passive development – investment in these brownfields pose a risk, a nee of public and private investment
o Non-development – future regeneration is not taken into account
Table 1: Classification of brownfields
DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL INVESTMENT BROWNFIELD CLASSES
HIGH PRIVATE SELF-DEVELOPMENT
SPECIFIC PRIVATE/PUBLIC PASSIVE DEVELOPMENT
MINIMAL PUBLIC NON-DEVELOPMENT
Source: Jankových – Kirschner, 2005
Results and Discussion
The South Bohemian Region consists of 7 districts and administrative districts consist of 17 municipalities with extended power. The research study found a total of 212 brownfields, there. In the South Bohemian Region there is mainly agricultural type of brownfields (32%) which arose especially after the year 1989 as a result of a reduction in agricultural production. 26% of industrial brownfields reflects the national situation in this sector - a shift from heavy industry to the production of consumer goods, automobile industry and information and communication technology. These findings are also stated by Jackson (2004) and Pochylá (2010) in their studies at the national level.
There are 9% of cultural and 9% of military brownfields in the South Bohemian Region. There is no significant share of military brownfields because the military facilities were not completely dissolved. Slabák (2009) considers that the main cause of military brownfields is the withdrawal of the Soviet army from our territory (1991) and dissolving of military garrisons of the Army of the Czech Republic. 10% of brownfields located in the South Bohemian Regions ranks in the last category – non-specific brownfields.
The classification of brownfields in terms of development potential:
In the South Bohemian Region 30% of brownfields were classified as sites with high development potential, 50% of sites as brownfields with specific development potential and 20% of sites we can include in the category with minimal development potential. The regeneration of brownfields, we have classified, could not be carried out without the involvement of public and private investment. 80% of objects for successful regeneration require private as well as public money, 20% of sites can be financed only from private sources. The combination of public and private finance is not only crucial for regeneration of brownfields in the South Bohemian Region, but throughout the Czech Republic. (Jackson 2004). Brémová (2008) considers the involvement of private capital to be the most important factor for regeneration of brownfield sites.
Large buildings in poor condition, which are mainly the remains of industrial activity, are unattractive for investors. Costs associated with the regeneration of these objects are so high that private investors prefer construction on greenfields. In such cases, the only solution is full investment from public sources.
As for the class classification of brownfields, 10% of sites were classified as “self- development” brownfields with large potential for future regeneration. Most brownfields (85%) we can classify as “passively developing” brownfields and 5% belongs to sites with no development opportunities.
Conclusion
The results of a subjective brownfield classification showed that brownfields in the South Bohemian Region have a great chance for a successful regeneration. The brownfield sites are not in such a desperate conditon that would greatly hamper their chances of re-use. In total, there are 212 brownfields, whose area exceeds the area over 1 ha or for individual buildings the floor space is larger than 500 m2. The majority of brownfields is in the Ceske Budejovice district and, on the contrary, the least number of brownfields is located in the Strakonice district. The predominant type is agricultural brownfield, which arose mainly after the year 1989(Dubcová and all. 2008) . The other frequently occurring type of brownfields is industrial brownfield which is the result of closing down of companies or limiting their activities. (i.e. Jitex Písek company which concentrated its production in the town Písek and left its premises in the town Bechyně where the area of 10 900m2 remained unused.)
In terms of condition and possible uses, brownfields in the South Bohemia Region offer new opportunities for the development of the region, mainly due to the minimal amount of contaminated brownfields.
Acknowledgment
This paper is an output of the science project GACR P402/10/P344: Economic aspects of regeneration of brownfields in South-Bohemian region.
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