This volume investigates the technical, economic, and environmental viability of reclaiming derelict land for future development. The editor, M. C. R. Davies, compiles a series of peer-reviewed papers from the 1991 International Conference on Land Reclamation to address the challenges of restoring degraded industrial sites. The text provides a framework for evaluating site stability, soil contamination, and the long-term sustainability of land rehabilitation projects.

Experts recognize this collection as a foundational reference for understanding the state of land reclamation practices during the early 1990s. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a historical snapshot of engineering standards and environmental policy from that era.