Actually I think “Ödland” in German has a fairly negative connotation, and this is because of the mere fact that land where nothing is growing is not very attractive and maybe even suspicious (there might be something harmful for humans as well, if plants have a hard time, at the least it may lack water.). If some land was simply not used, but might eventually be attractive for use, you would use a different term like “Brache” (it is also negative, but has the prospective maybe even imperative to being turned into something).
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