Landscape Quality and Brownfield Regeneration: A Community Investigation Approach Inspired by Landscape Preference Studies

Increasing emphasis is given to brownfield regeneration across Europe. However, many local actors consider landscape quality as a secondary issue in the regeneration process. The present research investigated community sensitivity to landscape quality in the context of brownfield regeneration. This analysis was conducted in six post-industrial neighbourhoods situated in Wallonia (Belgium). The investigation method was inspired by landscape preference studies (LPS) and complemented with a qualitative case study approach. This method produced valuable insight into local community expectations regarding landscape management in the context of brownfield regeneration. The results presented in this paper suggest that perceived landscape quality influences community evaluation of regeneration schemes and reveal an unpredicted preference of certain community groups for post-industrial aesthetics. The findings also suggest that higher landscape quality in brownfield regeneration increases the attractiveness and liveability of a locality.