Exploring the hidden potential of sugar beet industry brownfields (case study of the Czech Republic). (July 2016) - Krejčí, Tomáš
Highlights: Plenty of reminders of formerly famous sugar beet industry exist in the Czech Republic. 49 abandoned sites after sugar beet industry has been analysed and classified. Special attention was paid to analyses state of railway connections of the sites. Various examples of re-use of this type of brownfields are presented. Sugar beet industry has importantly formed structures of towns in the Czech Republic. Abstract: The paper focuses on spatial analyses of sugar beet industry brownfields in the Czech Republic. In the first part of the paper history of sugar beet industry on the area of the Czech Republic is briefly presented, then links between location of these sites and its transport potential are discussed. Benefits of brownfields regeneration for regional development are also evaluated. In the empirical part of the paper 49 brownfield sites within the Czech Republic, where the sugar beet industry was abandoned during the transition period after 1989, are evaluated and classified based on field research and aerial picture analyses. Three examples of reuse of former sugar beet factories are finally presented. It was found that development potential of studied sites is highly depended on their geographical location and some inspiration might be derived from presented examples. More targeted supportive policy in the Czech Republic to support regeneration of brownfields is needed. In the concluding part of the paper further development possibilities of sugar beet industry brownfields and their railway connection are considered.