Urban Brownfields in Estonia: Scope, Consequences and Redevelopment Barriers as Perceived by Local Governments/ Urbánní brownfieldy v Estonsku: rozsah, dopady a revitalizační bariéry z pohledu městských samospráv

Abstract

Abstract Awareness of brownfields is limited in Estonia. In fact, there is no specific term officially used for brownfields at present. The aim of this study is to examine concerns in the redevelopment of brownfields and to present preliminary findings regarding the scope, consequences and redevelopment barriers of Estonian urban brownfields, as perceived and assessed by local authorities. The perceived importance of the negative impacts of brownfields on urban space is more than the mere number of brownfields and their total area, as it is influenced by the presence of other negative socioeconomic phenomena, such as local unemployment or population decline. According to municipal authorities, major barriers to the redevelopment of Estonian urban brownfields, besides the economic issues, are both the lack of knowledge regarding state and local measures and tools to help the public sector deal with brownfields, and the common perception that brownfields re-development is a private sector issue.