International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 13 Issue: 01 | Jan 2026
p-ISSN: 2395-0072
www.irjet.net
Strategies for Brownfield Redevelopment of Obsolete Industrial Areas Ar. Prachi Yadav¹, Ar. Deepak Rajbhar2, Gaurav Singh (Assistant Professor)3 12nd Year, MURP, Faculty of Architecture & Planning, AKTU, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226007 (India)
2Architect, Axis institute of architecture, AKTU, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208001(India) 3Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture & Planning, AKTU, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226007 (India) ---------------------------------------------------------------------***---------------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract - Rapid urbanization and economic restructuring
examples such as King’s Cross in London demonstrate how structured planning, strong policy frameworks, and environmental remediation can transform brownfields into vibrant urban districts. This paper explores how obsolete industrial brownfields can be strategically redeveloped to support sustainable urban development.
have resulted in the decline of inner-city industrial areas, leaving behind large tracts of underutilized and often contaminated land known as brownfields. These obsolete industrial areas pose serious challenges related to environmental degradation, inefficient land use, social decline, and disrupted urban connectivity. At the same time, they offer significant opportunities for sustainable urban regeneration, particularly in land-scarce and densely populated cities of India. This research paper examines strategies for brownfield redevelopment of obsolete industrial areas through an urban planning perspective. The study adopts a qualitative and comparative methodology supported by secondary data and literature review. Three case studies—Rajnagar Textile Mill, Ahmedabad; Mumbai Textile Mills (Girangaon); and King’s Cross Redevelopment, London—are analyzed using four core planning parameters: Urban Integration, Land-Use Intensity, Socio-Economic Inclusion, and Environmental Safety. The findings reveal that policy-led, precinct-based planning with strong environmental remediation and social equity measures leads to more sustainable outcomes, while market-driven redevelopment often results in fragmentation and exclusion. The paper concludes by proposing planning-oriented strategies to guide future brownfield redevelopment in Indian cities toward inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development.
1.1 CONCEPT OF BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT Brownfields are previously developed lands that are not currently in use and may be affected by real or perceived environmental contamination. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, brownfields are properties whose reuse may be complicated by the presence of hazardous substances. In urban planning, brownfield redevelopment refers to the process of reusing and regenerating such lands through environmental remediation, land-use transformation, infrastructure upgrading, and socioeconomic revitalization. Brownfield redevelopment is closely linked to sustainable urban planning as it promotes compact city development, reuse of existing infrastructure, protection of Greenfield land, and revitalization of declining neighborhoods. Adaptive reuse of industrial structures further supports circular economy principles by conserving embodied energy and reducing demolition waste.
Key Words: Brownfield Redevelopment, Obsolete Industrial Areas, Urban Regeneration, Land-Use Planning, Sustainable Development, Adaptive Reuse
1.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The study adopts a qualitative research approach based on secondary data, literature review, and comparative case study analysis. Four planning parameters were identified to evaluate redevelopment outcomes:
1. INTRODUCTION Industrialization during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries shaped the spatial, economic, and social structure of many cities. Large industrial areas were established within urban cores due to proximity to labor, transport, and markets. However, globalization, technological change, rising land values, and industrial relocation have rendered many such areas obsolete. These abandoned or underutilized industrial lands, commonly termed brownfields, now exist as urban voids within rapidly growing cities.
1. 2. 3. 4.
Three case studies were selected to represent different planning contexts: Rajnagar Textile Mill (Ahmedabad), Mumbai Textile Mills (Girangaon), and King’s Cross Redevelopment (London).
In Indian cities such as Ahmedabad and Mumbai, obsolete textile mills occupy prime inner-city land yet fail to respond to contemporary urban needs. These sites contribute to environmental pollution, inefficient land utilization, unemployment, and social decline. Conversely, international
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Urban Integration (connectivity, permeability, public realm), Land-Use Intensity (FAR, density, land-use mix), Socio-Economic Inclusion (employment, housing equity, community benefits), and Environmental Safety (contamination assessment, remediation, adaptive reuse).
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