Brownfield redevelopment versus greenfield investment: Is Serbia on the way to integrated land management?

Abstract

The paper discusses the possibilities and practices of brownfield and greenfield investment within the Serbian urban development framework. First, a broader context of brownfield regeneration and greenfield investment in transition countries is described. After this introduction, the current urban tendencies and conditions of urban transformation in Serbia are shown. The central part of the paper illustrates a comparative analysis of both positive and negative effects of brownfield and greenfield development. The main parameters for the analysis are determined according to the principal aspects of sustainable development — economic, social, and environmental. An example used to explain the benefits of greenfield investment is that of the Ecka industrial site in Zrenjanin, Serbia. The analysis presents a critical evaluation of the current urban tendencies, and aims to estimate the extent of integration between the development processes. The last part of the paper draws out implications for similar complex urban issues.