Urban derelict land: an unwanted inheritance or a challenge to innovation

Abstract

Following the post war decades when prosperity grew and consumar materialism developed, much has been written in the 70's and 80's analysing the causes of increasing urban dereliction, the problems thereby created and how the situation could and should be addressed. Yet in the last decade of this millennium, sprawling urban wasteland remains and continues to appear to inhibit urban regeneration and detract from the restoration that is taking place. Historically, treatment of derelict land has often been incremental and the problem has been tackled in isolation. Now, as the need to protect and preserve our environment is perceived and the concept of sustainable development - the ability to use the earth' s resources responsibly for the current generation' s requirements without compromising the entitlement of future generations to enjoy the environment - is grasped, a more strategic approach to combat urban dereliction is being advocated. A broad environmental strategy targeting the whole canm'nity is necessary if urban regeneration is to succeed and towns and cities are to become places in which life can be lived and enjoyed. In this context it is proposed to study the legal controls and
remedies which exist to prevent dereliction in the urban environment and those available to tackle and remedy the problem once it has occurred; how their efficacy and availability interacts with declared government policy and, in turn, how this policy is implemented and how practicably it can be put into effect at local authority level. Are the available resources being used most effectively and is there sufficient innovation in practice? If not, why not? Most research has been carried out in the North West region, particularly in Liverpool, Wigan, Cheshire and St. Helens, but where other relevant information was available, it has been utilised.