Brownfields: the key to sustainable urban growth?
A public policy for the real estate sector: compact cities
Since the early 2000s, France has introduced a series of regulations to curb urban sprawl and promote more sustainable cities. The Solidarity and Urban Renewal (SRU) act of 2000 laid the groundwork for modernised urban planning with the introduction of local urban plans (PLUs) and the establishment of social housing quotas. Ten years later, the Grenelle II act (2010) strengthened this approach by introducing regional climate plans and imposing stricter energy standards on buildings.
In 2014, the Access to Housing and Renewed Urban Planning Act (ALUR) encouraged urban densification by removing caps on floor area ratios, while the 2016 Biodiversity Act introduced the Avoid – Reduce – Offset (ERC) principle to limit the environmental impact of new development projects. Later, the ELAN Act (2018) simplified urban planning procedures and promoted the conversion of offices into housing.
More recently, the Climate and Resilience Act (2021) marked a major step forward by setting quantified targets for reducing soil sealing in natural spaces. For the first time, it enshrines in law the ambitious target of zero net land take (“Zéro Artificialisation Nette” or ZAN) by 2050.
These regulations reflect the transition from a model of urban expansion to a focus on land conservation. The challenge now is to protect the soil while rehabilitating and reusing already urbanised spaces.
Urban sprawl has slowed… but continues
Despite the many reforms implemented, the rate of land take in France remains high. After a temporary decline due to the 2008 economic slump, land conversion has stabilised since 2016 at a concerning level of more than 50,000 acres a year – the equivalent of five football pitches every hour.
Faced with this problem, France’s Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) is calling for a more consistent policy that looks at land as the shared heritage of the nation, to be preserved for future generations.
However, the implementation of the zero net land take target is meeting with considerable resistance. This is reflected in initiatives such as the TRACE bill presented in 2025, which aims to relax limits on land take – an illustration of the persistent contradiction between environmental requirements and the economic pressure exerted by local authorities.
Brownfields: a resource for land conservation
Once considered unusable “wasteland”, industrial, commercial and agricultural brownfield sites are now proving to be a key resource for land use efficiency and conservation. Their redevelopment has become an essential lever for sustainable regional development.
The decree of 26 December 2023 clarified their legal definition, incorporating criteria such as vacancy, pollution and excessive costs associated with their redevelopment. Meanwhile, new tools – such as the Cartofriches platform developed by CEREMA – make it possible to identify these spaces and support their conversion into useful projects.
These sites are valuable assets to promote an approach that combines the circular economy, industrial relocation and soil preservation. Their rehabilitation helps to revitalise local communities while curtailing the use of natural spaces – in the interest of sustainable development.
Logistics platforms on recovered brownfields, a driver of economic development
The growth of e-commerce and reindustrialisation policies are driving demand for logistics facilities. In a context of land shortage, brownfield sites are increasingly recognised as strategic resources to meet this need.
The government is supporting this dynamic through a turnkey sites programme[1], which accelerates the establishment of businesses on pre-developed land – reducing administrative obstacles and delays.
This strategy aims to reindustrialise in the regions, while curbing land take. By relying on brownfield sites as alternatives to sealing new, natural areas, this model strikes a balance between economic development and environmental protection.
The growth of the market for the decontamination and rehabilitation of polluted sites, estimated at nearly €1 billion in 2021 in France, illustrates this trend perfectly.
The limits of environmental offsets
Although an Avoid – Reduce – Offset (ERC) framework is in place to mitigate the environmental impacts of development projects, the results are mixed. A study conducted by natural history museum MNHN and national research centre CNRS in 2019 found that 80% of the projects reviewed involved offset measures that were deemed insufficient or inappropriate.
In many cases, offset projects merely preserve areas that are already in good ecological condition – without seeking to actually restore degraded environments or compensate for the destruction caused. The study revealed that less than 0.05% of offset projects worldwide were assessed to measure their actual impact.
This situation raises doubts about France’s ability to achieve effective ecological neutrality. It also highlights the need to strengthen the control, evaluation and transparency of offset mechanisms to ensure their effectiveness and their real contribution to the preservation of biodiversity.
Brownfield sites have become a strategic resource for sustainable economic development. They play a key role in the minimisation of land take, as promoted by the Climate and Resilience Act, while responding to the challenges of regional reindustrialisation.
However, the success of this approach depends on the ability of public authorities and local stakeholders to strike the right balance between economic performance, environmental preservation and support to less advanced regions. We cannot simply greenwash our land policies; we need concrete, effective actions that support our environmental and social ambitions.
[1] “Sites clés en main France 2030”
