The importance of the use of brownfield sites for both residential and commercial developments is now a governmental priority and is becoming continually more important due to ever increasing local authority new housing development targets.

We work with Clients from all sectors to find a complete individual solution to their unique land contamination problems finishing in the discharge of related planning conditions through a four phase legislation led Site Contamination Assessment process.

Before development can begin, the planning permission issued by the Local Authority for most sites now includes a specific condition relating to potential contamination. In order to satisfy such a condition a site contamination assessment is required. In addition, a similar assessment is normally required by the Environment Agency, Insurers (NHBC, Zurich etc) and possibly the funding (bank) requirements. It is a legal requirement of the Developer to address a condition relating to potential contamination and to obtain discharge before the property can be sold. This type of risk based assessment is of particular importance when dealing with the so-called ‘Brownfield’ sites, where there has been previous industrial usage and possible made ground. Former petrol station sites, garages, bus depots, vehicle workshops, transformer sub-stations are all examples of previous site use which presents a potential for a contamination problem.

There are other sites, however, which one would not normally associate with potential contamination issues, but can in fact present problems, these include those used previously for residential gardens, allotments or some livestock farming purposes, such as pig and dairy farming.

The site contamination assessment normally comprises four phases as prescribed in EA GPLC 2010 and guidance from BS10175 and PPS23 – Planning and Pollution Control.