The Guardian has published a significant correction to a recent article concerning the availability of brownfield land for housing development in England. The original piece, based on a report from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), contained several factual inaccuracies regarding the scale of the potential.
Corrected Figures for Brownfield Capacity
The core of the correction addresses the number of homes that could be built on previously developed, or brownfield, sites. The article initially stated that the CPRE had calculated a capacity for 1.49 million homes, with 790,000 of these already having secured planning permission.
However, this information was flawed. The campaign group has since provided corrected data, revealing that the true potential is for 1.41 million homes across England. Furthermore, the number of homes with existing planning permission is 770,000.
Revised Site and Area Data
The amendments extend beyond the headline housing numbers. The article also misreported the total number and area of the brownfield sites available. The original figures suggested there were 30,257 individual sites covering 32,884 hectares of land.
The accurate data confirms there are 27,200 brownfield sites available for development. These sites span a total area of 29,977 hectares.
In addition to the textual corrections, an online chart accompanying the article was also found to be inaccurate. This chart, which visualised data for regions including London, the south-east, and the north-west, has since been updated to reflect the correct numbers provided by the CPRE.
Implications for the Housing Debate
While the revised figures represent a decrease from the initial report, they continue to highlight the significant role brownfield land is expected to play in addressing England's ongoing housing crisis. The capacity for 1.41 million homes on such sites remains a substantial figure that will inform policy and planning decisions at both local and national levels.
The publication of these clarifications underscores the importance of accurate data in public discourse on critical issues like housing and land use. Readers with editorial complaints or correction requests are directed to contact the Guardian's Readers' editor.
