Balancing growth with sustainability in the North-west

As cities like Manchester and Liverpool pursue major regeneration plans, the North-west is facing a fundamental question: should growth be concentrated in revitalised urban centres, or should it spill further into greenfield land? With housing demand rising and infrastructure under pressure, decisions made now could shape the region’s environmental and economic future for generations.

To explore this, Building the Future Think Tank gathered regional leaders in Manchester for a roundtable discussion chaired by Assemble Media Group’s editorial director Chloe McCulloch. The session brought together a diverse panel including architects, developers, planners, academics and infrastructure specialists, each grappling with how to balance competing pressures while enabling inclusive, sustainable growth.

What emerged was a shared ambition to harness regeneration as a force for good - but also frustration with structural and political barriers that currently limit the sector’s ability to deliver.

A brownfield-first approach – but only if it can work in practice

There was widespread agreement that regenerating brownfield land in places like Salford, Bootle, and Ancoats should be a regional priority. These projects not only repurpose derelict land, but also breathe life into neighbourhoods and city centres.

Ian Aldous, director – North, Mace pointed to Salford as an example of what’s possible when local authorities take a confident, interventionist approach. “The pipeline there is massive - but as we go deeper into the brownfield stock, the sites get harder. We’re now dealing with access issues, contamination, fragmented ownership. It takes investment and long-term vision.”

Yet enthusiasm for brownfield quickly ran into the reality of viability constraints. Tom Cadman, partner, Baily Garner noted that while political rhetoric often champions a brownfield-first policy, developers face mounting challenges on the ground. “The costs stack up before you’ve even broken ground - remediation, demolition, enabling works - and that’s before you add in new planning requirements like biodiversity net gain or carbon targets.”

Councillor Mike McCusker, lead member for planning and sustainable development at Salford City Council, reinforced the importance of proactive public sector involvement. “We’ve decontaminated and redeveloped a lot of old car parks and vacant land — but that’s the low-hanging fruit. What’s left is far more complex. Without public funding and political will, the private sector can’t take those risks alone.”

Without targeted public funding or risk-sharing mechanisms, many urban projects are stalling. Caroline Hansell, senior development manager at Gleeds, highlighted that even when land is available, under-resourced local authorities often lack the capacity to steer it through the system. “Partnerships between public and private sectors are absolutely key - but that only works if both sides are equipped to plan for the long term.”

When greenfield development becomes the default

Although few advocated greenfield development as the ideal solution, most acknowledged that it remains the path of least resistance for many schemes. In towns like Wigan, Warrington and the fringes of Greater Manchester, pressures to deliver housing targets are leading to permissions on greenfield sites - often without the infrastructure or placemaking needed for long-term success.

Carrie Behar, head of sustainability at Useful Projects, emphasised that greenfield development should not be inherently ruled out - but must be held to a higher standard. “If we’re going to use that land, we need to design it with nature, access and people in mind from the very beginning - not tack those things on later.”

Michael Brown, managing director, Altered Space agreed, arguing that density and connectivity must be non-negotiable. “Too many of these schemes are car-dependent and infrastructure-light. If we’re serious about liveable places, then greenfield can’t mean business-as-usual estates at low density. It has to support the wider regional economy and sustainability goals.”

Legal risks and long-term costs were also raised. Simon Tolson, partner at Fenwick Elliott, warned that greenfield projects often come with hidden liabilities - particularly where services, schools or utilities are lacking. “What looks cheaper on paper can become more expensive for the public purse down the line. Once you’ve consumed that land, you don’t get it back.”

Planning gridlock and political misalignment

Delays in the planning system were seen as a critical blocker to both urban regeneration and greenfield quality. Jane Healey Brown of Arup, who also sits on the LMRail Partnership Board, pointed to fragmented governance and the absence of regional coordination. “We’re not planning at the scale these challenges require. Infrastructure, housing, climate adaptation - they all demand cross-boundary thinking, but our system isn’t set up for that.”

Several contributors called for a return to regional spatial strategies, or at least stronger frameworks for collaborative decision-making between authorities. “We need to shift from reactive planning to strategic planning,” said Stephen Cowperthwaite, principal and managing director, regions & Liverpool, Avison Young. “Without that, we’ll keep approving easy schemes and missing out on the hard but transformational ones.”

Stephen O’Malley, CEO and founding director, Civic added that urban design is too often seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. “You can’t retrofit placemaking - it has to be integral. And that means local authorities need the skills and confidence to demand better.”

There was also concern that political short-termism is undermining good planning. “When targets change with every administration, or guidance shifts mid-project, it creates real uncertainty,” said Peter McDermott, professor of construction procurement, University of Salford. “We need stability if we want investors and communities to commit to long-term outcomes.”

Connecting people and places: the role of infrastructure

One of the clearest enablers of brownfield regeneration identified by the panel was transport. Where good connectivity exists, disused urban sites become viable; where it doesn’t, they remain stalled.

Paul McNerney,  director - clients and government, Laing O’Rourke stressed that rail and transport improvements aren’t just about journey times - they’re about economic geography. “The right transport spine can open up access to jobs, unlock stalled land, and draw in private capital. That’s why schemes like Liverpool–Manchester rail (see box below) are so important.”

Others agreed that infrastructure must be planned alongside, not after, housing and commercial growth. “We’ve got to stop treating infrastructure as a bolt-on,” said Cowperthwaite. “It’s the foundation of inclusive regeneration.”

Designing for climate, community and nature

Whatever development happens - urban or suburban - the panel agreed it must meet the evolving standards of climate resilience, liveability and biodiversity.

Behar stressed that achieving net zero means rethinking not just what we build, but how we use it. “It’s about systems thinking - how people move, how energy is shared, how green spaces are integrated. The best regeneration delivers on multiple fronts at once.”

Meanwhile, community buy-in was seen as the make-or-break factor in both regeneration and expansion. As Aldous noted, “Public trust can’t be assumed. If residents don’t see the benefit, or feel locked out of decisions, they’ll resist - and rightly so.”

A shared future built through collaboration

As the discussion drew to a close, panellists reflected on the opportunity that lies ahead - if the region can align behind a long-term, place-based vision.

“This isn’t just about where we build,” said O’Malley. “It’s about the values we embed, the connections we foster, and the future we shape.”

Healey Brown agreed: “The North-west has the tools, the talent and the character to lead on this. But it will take bravery - from developers, planners, and politicians alike - to do it differently.”

The clear message: regeneration and sustainability are not opposing forces. When properly aligned, they can reshape the North-west into a greener, fairer, more connected region - and offer a blueprint for the rest of the UK to follow.