The location of new housing development has become one of the mostintractable controversies of modern times. This book provides apowerful critique of the growing tendency to reduce the debate onthe development of new housing to a mere choice between greenfieldand brownfield locations. It calls for full account to be taken ofsuch factors as the structure and organisation of the housebuildingindustry, supply and demand pressures in the housing market, thecontested nature of sustainability and the political character ofthe planning process if a truly effective housing land policy is tobe devised.

Drawing on theories from economics and political science, thisbook will provide an important reference point on the institutionalcontext within which residential development takes place and on theconcerns of planning authorities, environmentalists, housebuilders, and their customers in relation to the apparent choice betweengreenfield and brownfield development.