1.    Aims

Wasteland comprises the range of habitats that develop on land whose industrial, commercial, or residential use has declined or ceased. Much of London’s wasteland is also termed brownfield land – land that has been previously developed. Brownfield sites may once have been the location of railway sidings, factories, housing, sewage treatment works, docks or quarries. The biodiversity they support can be stunning and unique, providing a mosaic of species and communities at different stages of succession that enriches our urban environment. Wasteland provides ideal foraging habitat for birds like goldfinches, linnets and, on a few sites, black redstarts. The open character of these areas, with their small-scale variations in topography and climate, makes many sites excellent for invertebrates and reptiles. London’s wasteland may be second only to ancient woodland for rare invertebrates.

Their substrates can be highly variable and include demolition rubble, railway ballast, and pulverised fuel ash, as well as natural substrates. These substrates are characteristically nutrient-poor and free-draining and, as a result, the vegetation of early-colonised wasteland is typically sparse, containing species adapted to the physical and chemical conditions.

Wasteland provides important open spaces for local people in the urban environment. These sites are often the true ‘wild’ city spaces, and there is great potential to make them more accessible, safe and enjoyable through positive management. Both native and exotic species are found in these habitats and this mixture is a reflection of the city’s past and present international trade and cultural links.

The current distribution of wasteland sites in London is not adequately known, but concentrations can be found in the Thames Gateway and the Lee and Wandle valleys. Sites include Battersea Power Station (Wandsworth), Essex Filter Beds (Waltham Forest), Silwood Triangle and Bell Lane Gasworks (Lewisham) and Friern Barnet Sewage Works (Haringey). Further examples are given in the London Biodiversity Audit.

The current status of wasteland constantly changes due to the rapid rate of development in some areas and sites designated as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) continue to be damaged and destroyed.

Many typical factors that contributed to the existence of large wasteland sites have now slowed down or ceased. Current policy set out in ‘Towards an Urban Renaissance’ (the report of the government’s Urban Task Force) targets brownfield development. The policy encourages rapid recycling of all vacant land with little regard for current wildlife value; hence a projected decline in the number of wasteland sites.

The natural process towards a more closed tree/scrub habitat threatens the biodiversity value of early successional wasteland communities. The substrates themselves can slow the process of succession, as can a certain level of disturbance from human and animal activities. Nevertheless, active site management may be required to maintain the conditions that favour wildlife on wasteland sites.

The image of industrial decline and anti-social activity targeted at brownfield land has created a negative public image of these wasteland habitats. This poor image also exists within the conservation sector and consequently, ecological research and evaluation of wasteland has lagged behind that of more conventional habitats.

Wasteland sites of high biodiversity value that have been set aside for public access, are often managed inappropriately, with the introduction of amenity grassland and tree planting.

It is therefore a major challenge to raise awareness of the value of wasteland among decision-makers, land managers and the general public and to promote their management both for biodiversity and for safe, enjoyable access.

There are no wasteland sites with statutory site protection. A number of Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) in London contain elements of wasteland habitat and several sites which are almost entirely composed of wasteland habitat have been identified as SINCs. However, only a handful of these have received protection through appropriate planning policies.

Several protected species are commonly associated with wasteland sites. Common lizard and slow-worm enjoy partial protection, whilst the breeding sites of black redstart and little ringed plover, which occasionally breeds on wasteland, are fully protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981, as amended).

The London Brownfields Forum has been set up to discuss issues concerning wasteland. It is intended that the work of the Forum should be developed to promote the social and ecological value of these habitats.