Development of a decision support system for regional planning and the assessment of brownfield sites: A case-study

The complex nature of brownfield sites means that making decisions about their regeneration can be challenging and involve a wide range of stakeholders. To support these stakeholders, data-driven spatial decision support systems (DSSs) are often used. For these kinds of tools to be effective, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the problems and challenges faced by stakeholders. This research builds on previous large-scale stakeholder engagement (Hammond et al., 2023), critical review (Hammond et al., 2021), and detailed user requirements gathering. We present a framework for the development of a novel web-based DSS to support early-stage city region-scale brownfield planning and redevelopment. The DSS has four objectives: (1) improve the findability and visualisation of data, (2) support the assessment and understanding of ground risk posed by contamination and geotechnical instability, (3) provide better visualisation of data related to economic viability assessment, and (4) support evidence gathering for master planning through the modelling of land-use potential using a GIS multi-criteria method. We demonstrate the capabilities of the DSS framework through the implementation of a case-study focussing on the Liverpool City Region, a combined authority area in north-west England. Findings from user testing of the DSS and verification work are also presented.