Assessment of brownfield locations in ten cities in Serbia: a comparative study and new ideas for improvement

Abstract

Brownfield sites, characterized by abandoned or underutilized industrial or commercial properties, pose significant environmental, economic, and social challenges to urban areas. This paper aims to assess the prevalence and characteristics of brownfield locations in ten cities in Serbia and provide a comparative analysis of their potential for redevelopment. The undertaken research was developed for the World Bank Group and SECO project “Technical assistance: Strengthening capacities of local self-governments in Serbia towards low-carbon and resilient urban development investments”, and the ten cities were chosen based on the initial survey as cities of interest to the project. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as questionnaires developed for the purpose of research data was collected on brownfield sites in Niš, Novi Sad, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Šabac, Zrenjanin, Novi Pazar, Sombor, Užice and Leskovac. Some of the cities provided the data of brownfield sites within various databases which encompassed basic (geographical) data about the location, site histories, environmental conditions, land use restrictions, ownership status, original and potential purpose, existing infrastructure and accessibility. Future studies can build upon these findings by exploring specific redevelopment strategies tailored to the distinct challenges and opportunities presented by each city's brownfield diversity.