Brownfield development is the new green for sustainable mine-dump redevelopment

Abstract

Rapid urbanisation, industrialisation and globalisation created a legacy of derelict and vacant mine dumps in the South African Gauteng province urban landscape that is viewed as an environmental problem rather than a development opportunity towards effective sustainable development. The article entails a systematic analysis of greenfield and brownfield development attributes, evaluated in terms of sustainable development target indicators, in order to determine which development category best contributes to sustainable  development. A qualitative research method was applied using a combination of interviews, case studies and literature reviews. Based on content analysis and coding, the thematic analysis results confirm that the long-term sustainability benefits of brownfield developments outweigh the short-term financial gains of greenfield developments. Recommendations, including establishing partnerships and funding models, identifying and defining development strategies for brownfield sites as well as implementing and enforcing legislation, could contribute towards realising sustainable, resilient, safe and inclusive human settlements on vacant mine dumps.

Keywords: Brownfield, climate change, globalisation, sustainable development, sustainable development goals, urbanisation, urban sprawl