BROWNFIELD REGENERATION: WATERFRONT SITE DEVELOPMENTS IN LIVERPOOL AND COLOGNE

The regeneration of brownfields has recently gained prominence due to greenfield land restrictions as well as their potential to promote the urban renaissance. On the examples of Kings Waterfront in Liverpool and Rheinauhafen in Cologne the paper aims to evaluate how brownfield regeneration practice compares, given that local, national and European bodies have invested significant amounts of time and expenditure to the revitalisation of sites. The literature review provides a background to the issues which need to be overcome for developments such as Liverpool's Kings Waterfront and Cologne's Rheinauhafen to become a success. In order to determine the state of current brownfield practice in Liverpool and Cologne, we explore the public opinion and information from specialists in the field. The study shows that, if exploited correctly, brownfield sites can provide a catalyst for economic growth in the inner city areas where they once have been deprived. Finally, studied cities were found to contain many examples of best practice with regards to brownfield sites situated on rivers. These successful schemes could be used to reignite the regeneration of other world cities.