550	 Agric. Econ. – Czech, 55, 2009 (11): 550–556
The origin and existence of brownfields is a manifestation
of the economic and social changes which
are reflected in the development of urban and rural
areas. The main reason for the emergence of brownfields
in the Czech Republic is the change which affected
our economy after 1990. In particular, it was
the diversion from heavy industry, the collapse of big
enterprises, cancelled military domains – the general
restructuring of industry and agriculture. Until this
time, the problem of brownfields in the CR did not
exit while in the Western countries this problem has
been solved since the late 70’s.
Reasons of origination and existence of brownfields
in the CR are simple: during the period 1949–1989
the lack of interest in this problem, there was not
any political willingness to address the problem, the
involved entities – both public and private – were
passive, there was an insufficiency of resources and
needed legislation. A bigger attention to brownfields
started to be paid in the context of the Czech Republic
entrance into the EU and with the possibility to draw
finances for the brownfields’ regeneration from the
structural funds of the EU (Sýkorová 2007).
Brownfield is an English term which is used as a
terminus technicus. In the Anglo-Saxon countries,
the brown colour was used to mark the localities in
plans of the former industrial areas which lost their
function. The definition of brownfield in the Czech
Republic is not clear. According to the Investment
and Business Development Agency, the Czechinvest,
To the problems of agricultural brownfields in the
Czech Republic – Case study of the Vysocina region
K problematice zemědělských brownfields v České republice –
případová studie kraje Vysočina
H. Svobodová, A. Věžník
Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno,  
Czech Republic
Abstract: After 1989, Czech economy was transformed into free market economy and this brought many changes into
agricultural sector. One of the changes was the decline of the volume of agricultural production which caused that many of
objects used in agriculture lost their function and were not needed any more. Here begins the origin of agricultural brownfields.
There was no interest in this problem for a long period; a bigger attention paid to brownfields started in the context
of the Czech Republic entrance into the EU and with the possibility to draw finances for the brownfields’ regeneration from
the structural funds of the EU. This article deals with the problematic of agricultural brownfields in the Vysocina Region
since there were located 44 brownfields of this type and it is important to know about this and to set up a strategy to solve
this problem.
Key words: agricultural brownfield, Vysocina Region, barriers of development, revitalisation
Abstrakt: Po roce 1989 prošla česká ekonomika transformací na tržní ekonomiku, což přineslo do zemědělského sektoru
mnoho změn. Jednou z těchto změn byl pokles objemu zemědělské produkce, jež způsobilo, že mnoho objektů užívaných
v zemědělství ztratilo svoji funkci a nadále nebyly využívány. Zde začíná problematika zemědělských/venkovských brownfields.
Po dlouhou dobu se o tento problém nikdo nezajímal; větší pozornost se brownfields začala věnovat až po vstupu
České republiky do EU s možností čerpat finance na regeneraci brownfields ze strukturálních fondů EU. Tento příspěvek
se zabývá problematikou zemědělských/venkovských brownfields v kraji Vysočina, jelikož zde bylo lokalizováno 44 brownfieldů
zmíněného typu a je jistě důležité o této problematice vědět a stanovit strategii k jejímu řešení.
Klíčová slova: zemědělský brownfield, kraj Vysočina, bariéry rozvoje, revitalizace
Agric. Econ. – Czech, 55, 2009 (11): 550–556	 551
the term brownfield means a real estate/property
(plot, facility, area), which is not effectively used, is
neglected or even contaminated; cannot be used effectively
without a prior regeneration process; arises
as a remnant of industrial, agricultural, residential
or other activities. Brownfields represent for us an
economic source, a business activity and opportunity
that have to be used. Brownfields are also important
as historical trails, the sources of the national
memory, of the cultural and architectural heritage
which should be preserved and reconstructed. Almost
in each town and city in the Czech Republic, there
are many of localities that were or are built-upon
that were used in the past and are now abandoned,
dilapidating, occupying space and hindering development.
Their appearance and presence often annoys
the inhabitants living in their vicinity. Investors lose
interest in such areas and the development is blocked
for years ahead. On the other hand, some of these
locations represent interesting or unique examples
of the industrial heritage.
In present, there is a number of foreign literature
which deals with the issue of economy and environment
and is closely connected with the topic of
brownfields, e.g. Singer (2000). There are also some
works which apply to the legal aspects of development
of brownfields, Wolf (1999).
In the Czech research field, especially Jackson from
the Institute of Sustainable Development of Seats
(IURS) is engaged in brownfields or the Investment
and Business Development Agency, Czechinvest,
which worked out the Research Study for Localization
of Brownfields in the Territory of the Czech Republic
(2007). There are also high-quality diploma theses
concerning the brownfields topic –Holeček (2006)
or Hlušková (2006).
To just the matter of agricultural brownfields, there
has not yet been devoted an adequate attention and
in the literature, they are mentioned only marginally,
e.g. Dvořáková, Dlouhý (2006), Jackson (2003), Bičík
et al. (2001), Bičík, Jančák (2005) or Kabrda, Jančák
(2007), in Slovakia – Spišiak et al. (2005). In connection
with brownfields should be also studied strategies
of farming which were described by Herová (2007)
or new trends in agriculture concerning changes in
land use in which were engaged e.g. Svatoš (2008) or
Doucha and Foltýn (2008).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The problem of brownfields was processed on base
of the Czechinvest data which are often very limited.
However, they provide basic information about their
structure. A deeper analysis of this problem was
worked up according to the data from the questionnaire
survey and also by interviews with the employees
of the Regional Development Agency in Jihlava and
the Vysocina region. Proper and available methods,
such as classificatory method, comparative analysis
or cartographic interpretation, were used to increase
the predicative value of the monitored phenomena.
Also the socio-economic characteristics in the spatial
context were evaluated.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Brownfields in the Czech Republic
Brownfields are usually located in industrial zones
in cities or along railroad lines in the suburbs or in
rural communities. According to the Czechinvest
Study for Localization of Brownfields in the Territory
of the Czech Republic (2007), in total 2 355 localities
have been found in the Czech Republic, with a total
area of 10 326 ha and the built-upon area covering
4 206 ha. Although earlier the brownfields were
perceived mainly as a result of the transition of the
industrial sector of Czech economy, the Study has
indicated that most brownfields (36%) were formerly
used in the agricultural sector. Industrial localities
make 33% of the total number of brownfields in the
CR. Other brownfields in the CR may be classified as
the civic amenities (13%), military (6%), residential
(4%) and other (8%).
When we study the area of brownfields with regard
to their previous use, the largest area in the CR is
represented by industrial brownfields (42% of total
brownfields’ area), then military (23%) and agricultural
brownfields (17%).
Agricultural brownfields
The problem of agricultural brownfields is closely
connected with change of the general socio-economical
conditions in Czech rural areas and with
the overall decrease of economical activity. Since
1990, employment in agricultural production decreased
to 27% of the former state. Agricultural and
also non-agricultural activities which were often
integrated to agricultural enterprises ceased in the
majority of municipalities. Changes after 1990 affected
different regions of Czech countryside quite
differentially. While rural areas situated near bigger
towns were affected by the positive and also negative
consequences of the fast developed suburbanisation,
552	 Agric. Econ. – Czech, 55, 2009 (11): 550–556
a great part of Czech rural areas remained outside
the development axis. Compared with the situation
of inhabitants of core areas, the social and economical
situation of inhabitants in less developed areas
has relatively worsened. This could be documented,
among other, by the growing volume of daily commuting
to the metropolitan areas, differential rates of
unemployment, the average income in specific types
of activities or by rate of business activities.
The extinction of the socialistic large-scale agricultural
production brought a new phenomenon into
Czech rural areas. Majority of former agricultural
enterprises built in 70s and 80s of 20th century went
through a considerable reduction which was caused
mainly by the substantial depression of agricultural
production. Many objects of these former firms are
empty or used only partially, many of objects decay
(including partially the demolition of single buildings).
According to this, there arises new type of
brownfields in the Czech countryside – abandoned
former agricultural facilities. These areas are usually
located in marginal places. It would be difficult to use
them for new and modern technologies that are why
the present owners or municipalities could not find
a new investor who would be able to revitalize and
re-utilise this area. Despite the proclaimed support
to small and middle entrepreneurs, it is still not possible
to find an appropriate support mainly to small
trading in the countryside, either in the traditional
crafts or new fields connected with the IT.
Situation in the Vysocina region
In the Vysocina Region, there have been located 98
brownfields with the total built-upon area covering
36.9 ha (some objects were not exactly measured and
so the real area is a bit larger). The biggest number of
brownfields in the Vysocina Region as well as in the
whole CR was used in agriculture (46%), 22% represent
industrial brownfields, the other types represent
a smaller part – civic amenities 12%, military 12%,
residential 3% and other 5% (Figure 1).
After the transition of the conditions for agricultural
private enterprise in rural municipalities in
the Czech Republic, many of them emerged in the
former agricultural areas, often also of administrative
buildings. At present, these former agricultural
areas have been fast decayed and it is really difficult
to find a new use for them, even for those located in
sub-urban zones.
Agricultural brownfields are large-scale areas formerly
used in agriculture (e.g. barns, grain silos,
storehouses, mill houses, cowsheds, calf houses,
pigsties, …) which are underutilized or abandoned
and are typical for rural and peripheral regions. They
also have very a low investment potential, are mostly
contaminated and are not immediately exploitable.
According to the A-B-C Model (www.cabernet.org.
uk), it is possible to differentiate three types of brownfields
– A, B and C. The criterion of categorization
is the amount of finances which are required for the
possible revitalisation of the object. The absolute
majority of agricultural brownfields belongs to the
C category – these brownfields are quite without a
chance of revitalisation. They are often out of the contemporary
commercial, social, industrial or cultural
development trends and are located in the localities
without an adequate demand so it is unreasonable to
cover the costs gap. Also brownfields with a serious
ecological burden belong to this category because
the revitalisation would be very expensive.
Agriculture
36%
Industry
33%
Civic
amenities
13%
Residental
4%
Military
6%
Other
8%
CR
Agriculture
46%
Industry
22%
Civic
amenities
12%
Residental
3%
Military
12%
Other
5%
Vysocina
Figure 1. Structure of brownfields in the CR and the Vysocina Region according to their original use
Source: Regional Development Agency Vysocina (www.rrav.cz) and own calculations
Agric. Econ. – Czech, 55, 2009 (11): 550–556	 553
In the Vysocina Region, there have been localised
44 objects which could be considered as agricultural
brownfields. This number could not be taken as final
because it is not possible to decide what is or is not
a brownfields without a clear definition.
In the Vysocina Region, brownfields with the total
area of 500–900 sq. m present the main share (14 objects,
31.8 %), the lowest number of brownfields has
an area larger than 10 000 sq. m (only 2 objects, 6.8%).
Five objects were not exactly measured because they
were in demolition or there was no access to the
private estate (Table 1).
When the possibility of re-use of agricultural
brownfields is compared with the brownfields in the
urban or core areas, they have some disadvantages
(inconvenient location, poor condition of objects
- not very environment- friendly, simple and old
construction, unwillingness of investors to put their
finances into not very perspective objects and the
unsuitable age structure of local inhabitants – the
potential employees as well as the users of revitalised
brownfields).
The extent of risk to the public posed by the environmental
contamination of agricultural brownfields
– in the Vysocina Region: 18% of agro-brownfields
carry some environmental load and in 34% cases it
is supposed to be so (Figure 2). This ecological burden
comes from the original function of the object
– e.g. slurry, dung-water, stocking fuels or other
materials. Depending upon the amount and type of
contamination, the soil may be removed, a concrete
or other impermeable layer placed on top of the
land, and restrictions placed on its future use of the
land. Costs of the revitalisation and re-utilisation of
these objects would be many times higher than the
renovation of non-contaminated objects or building
in the greenfields which are generally believed, even
if sometimes incorrectly, not to be contaminated.
Brownfields strongly contrast with greenfields, which
are the fields and lots that were never developed, or
only lightly developed.
Since transport is a factor which forms the shape of
urban and economic structures, a poor traffic accessibility
could be as well the reason which makes the
revitalisation of brownfields difficult (Figure 2). In
the Vysocina Region, on the whole 72% of agricultural
brownfields are accessible only by the second- or
third-class roads, often of very poor condition. Only
14% of brownfields are less than 15 kilometres far
from the D1 highway, which could be a convenient
factor to their revitalisation.
Table 1. Number of agricultural the brownfields in the
Vysocina Region and their area
Area in m2
Number of objects Total area in m2
abs. rel. (%) abs. rel. (%)
1–499 3 6.8 752 0.8
500–999 14 31.8 10 832 11.5
1 000–1 999 8 18.2 10 598 11.3
2 000–4 999 9 20.5 23 475 25.0
5 000–9 999 3 6.8 21 514 22.9
> 10 000 2 4.5 26 833 28.5
Undetected 5 11.4 – –
Total 44 100.0 94 004 100.0
Source: Regional Development Agency Vysocina (www.
rrav.cz) + own calculations
YES
18%
Can be supposed
34%
NO
46%
Undetected
2%
Ecological burden
Less than 15 km
from D1
highway
14%
Near the firstclass
road
14%
Near the secondclass
road
47%
Near the thirdclass
road
25%
Traffic accesibility
Figure 2. Barriers of development of the agricultural brownfields in the Vysocina Region: ecological burdens and transport
accessibility
Source: Regional Development Agency Vysocina (www.rrav.cz) and own calculations
554	 Agric. Econ. – Czech, 55, 2009 (11): 550–556
The further negative load of agricultural brownfields
re-utilisation is very often the unclear ownership rights
after the transition; some agricultural enterprises
were terminated, some have not settled financially
with the former members of cooperatives. In the
Vysocina Region, 55% of these brownfields are owned
privately (often by several private owners), 34% are
owned publicly, that means by the Land Office of the
Czech Republic, the region or the community, 11%
of objects are owned both by a private and a public
owner (Figure 3).
Possibilities of revitalisation of agricultural
brownfields
Revitalisation of agricultural brownfields is a problematic
issue and the number of brownfields in cities
and rural areas could still grow. This problem was not
solved in the Czech Republic before 1989; there was
no political will and the private subjects remained
passive for a long time. The former agricultural facilities
are typical examples of agricultural brownfields
and despite all problems, it is necessary to find a
new use for them, even if out of large-scale agricultural
production. According to the Ministry of the
Environment of the Czech Republic, the main barriers
of the re-utilisation of these brownfields are:
– non-transparent and complicated ownership of the
brownfields’ estate
– strong competition of greenfields – building up
here is easier, faster and cheaper
– risk of the possible ecological burden and higher
costs for revitalization
– lack of experience with brownfields’ problematic
and its solution
– public-private partnership used insufficiently
– lack of investment incentives for private inves-
tors
– absence of a development conception and planning
documentation
Even if there are several disadvantages regarding
brownfields, the Ministry of Environment of the CR
also brings out some benefits of the re-utilisation of
brownfields:
– revitalization of landscape
– elimination of contamination
– elimination of aesthetical flaws
– protection of inhabitants’ and environment
health
– business development and growth of incomes
At present, 69% of agricultural brownfields in the
Vysocina Region are not utilized and 20% of them
are utilized only partially. Only 11% of objects are
used in agriculture or industry (Figure 4). However,
utilizing of these buildings could be dangerous be-
Public
34%
Private
55%
Municipal
11%
Ownership
Figure 3. Ownership of agricultural brownfields in the
Vysocina Region
Source: Regional Development Agency Vysocina (www.
rrav.cz) + own calculations
Agriculture
33
Industry
15
Civic
amenities
18
Commerce,
services
11
Dwelling
7
Other
16
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1
Agriculture,
industry
etc.
11
Used partially
69
Unutilized
20
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1
Figure 4. Present and possible future use of agricultural brownfields in the Vysocina Region
Source: Regional Development Agency Vysocina (www.rrav.cz) + own calculations
Agric. Econ. – Czech, 55, 2009 (11): 550–556	 555
cause of the poor condition of the objects or the
ecological burden.
The Regional Development Agency Vysocina
(RRAV) declared that the future use of agricultural
brownfields is possible. The main share of objects (over
31%) should be re-utilised in agriculture or agri-tourism
again. More than 18% of objects should be use as
civic facilities; the remaining brownfields should be
re-utilized in industry (15%), commerce and services
(11%) or for housing (7%); (Figure 4). According to the
State Agricultural Intervention Fund (www.szif.cz),
it is necessary to prevent the further emergence of
brownfields in rural areas mainly by the modernisation
of agricultural enterprises, giving-over of the farms to
young farmers, diversification into non-agricultural
activities, supports for development of agricultural
enterprises, support of tourism in rural areas, the
dissemination of basic services for inhabitants in
rural areas and the protection and general development
of rural areas. These activities are supported
by the Rural Development Programme 2007–2013
and financed from the European Agricultural Fund
for Rural Development (EARFD).
CONCLUSIONS
Cultivated landscape is said to be “the mirror of
society”. The aim is to prevent the traditionally cultivated
landscape from devastation, mainly in the
economically poorer regions, which the Vysocina
Region surely is.
Despite the high inflow of finances form the funds
to the Vysocina Region, the problem of brownfields
is not actually solved due to many obstacles and the
absence of high-quality projects. The probability of
revitalization is also lowered by a not very suitable
localization of the brownfields in the region. However,
it is evident that revitalisation of the brownfields
can contribute to the total revitalisation of the selected
region – the removal of ecological burdens
and the increase of the aesthetic value of landscape
(Table 2).
The renewal and the connected development of
economic activities in the affected regions will help
to overcome the social and economic problems.
Building up of a commercial object could help to
activate the economics in the region, which brings
about further advantages, such as employment, the
inflow of finances etc. Brownfield localities offer a
significant potential for the further development and,
despite the substantial funds and time required for its
preparation, their regeneration has a positive social
and economic impact on the relevant region. That is
the reason why we should not view the brownfields
as a problem but as an opportunity.
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Bičík I., Jančák V. (2005): Transformační procesy
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Positives Negatives
Revitalisation of landscape Ownership relations
Removal of ecological and aesthetical defects Strong competition of greenfields
Protection of inhabitants’ health Possible ecological burden
Protection of environment Lack of experience in revitalisation
New opportunities for employment Bad cooperation of public and private sector
Activation of economy Low investment incentives
Rise of incomes Territorial documentation
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Arrived on 8th July 2008
Contact address:
Hana Svobodová, Antonín Věžník, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
e-mail: veznik@sci.muni.cz, 67632@mail.muni.cz