SPATIAL RELATIONS AND PERCEPTION OF BROWNFIELDS IN OLD INDUSTRIAL REGION: CASE STUDY OF SVINOV (OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC)

Stanislav MARTINÁT, Josef KUNC, Petr KLUSÁČEK, Tomáš KREJČÍ, Josef NAVRÁTIL, Jana VNENKOVÁ, Jakub ČERNÍK

ABSTRACT: Regeneration of brownfields gradually becomes an important challenge for regional and local development across the East-Central European countries. Due to the recent huge economic transition and global societal changes thousands of abandoned sites (brownfields) sprang up across the landscape after various economic activities, the Czech Republic included. This paper evaluates the perception of brownfields along with their individual re-use options by local population in one of the city districts of Ostrava which was heavily influenced by industrialisation during the last 150 years (Svinov city district, city of Ostrava, eastern part of the Czech Republic). The first part of the paper is devoted to brief theoretical aspects of brownfields regeneration and its perception. The second part of the paper presents us with the results of the questionnaire survey which was carried out among local population of Svinov (n=163) focusing on the perception of five selected local brownfield sites. It was found out that the issue of brownfields rouses huge discussions among public of the model area of Svinov. Among the most supported re-use options of local brownfields greenery and cultural facilities were identified. Brownfield sites located outside the settled area of the city quarter are almost disregarded while the re-use of centrally located sites for greenery is strongly supported. In the final part of the paper, the findings are synthesized and recommendations for public administration and potential investors are formulated.

Keywords: Brownfields Regeneration, Spatial Relations, Perception, Urban Renewal

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