Contaminated Land

Matters relating to Contaminated Land are based within the Environmental Quality Section which is part of the Community Services Department.

This Section liaise with the Planning Department and the Environment Agency to carry out their duties relating to contaminated land.

The main functions are to:

Survey the district to identify contaminated sites in accordance with the Council's adopted strategy.
Control development on contaminated land and prevent significant harm or pollution of controlled waters from contaminated sites.
Initiate an inspection programme and investigate suspect sites.
Refer details of 'special sites' identified to Environment Agency. Carry out risk assessments on all sites where contamination is present.
Establish a course of remediation for land determined as contaminated, serving remediation notices where appropriate.
Maintain a contaminated land register.
To respond to requests for site specific information regarding contaminated land.
Provide guidance to Planning Services in respect of development on brown field land and liase with developers as necessary.
Contaminated Land Strategy Produced and adopted by Council. Contaminated Land Strategy

(Some Contaminated Land may not be visible to the naked eye)

Currently an assessment of the district to identify the presence of contaminated land is being undertaken. The work is being undertaken to comply with legislation introduced in April 2000 and will take many years to complete. The assessment will include desk studies using historical data to identify potentially contaminated land. Any suspect land identified will later be assessed using intrusive and non-intrusive site investigation methods. If land is identified which poses a risk of significant harm or the pollution of controlled waters appropriate enforcement action to deal with the problem may be instigated.

Information has been gathered on potentially contaminated land, usually the Environmental Quality Section are consulted on planning applications for development and provide advice to Planning Services at the reapplication, planning and post development stage.

The Council currently holds over 1,000 potentially contaminated land site files.

Charges for the investigation and supply of information relating to land conditions or environmental issues are £50 minimum charge plus £50 per hour thereafter.

Some general information about contaminated land can be found here.