Contamination usually comes to light when industrial sites are being redeveloped and, in such cases, we assess the suitability of sites through the Development Management planning process.
However, land contamination may also be present on developed sites, and local authorities have a duty to identify potentially contaminated land and seek appropriate remediation where it poses unacceptable risks to human health or the environment.
It is therefore important to know whether the site you currently occupy, or are planning to buy or sell, is suitable for its current or proposed use. Please note that pre-application planning advice may involve a fee and that privately appointed qualified professionals are expected to investigate and report on land that you own or propose to develop.
Is all past industrial land contaminated?
No. It is important to note that a historic industrial use does not necessarily mean that contamination is present or that it poses a risk. If industrial pollution occurred many years ago, any contaminants may have changed over time to the extent that they are no longer considered harmful.
Furthermore, many homes have been built with the previous industrial use of the site taken into account, and appropriate remediation may have been carried out. In some cases, there may also be no source-pathway-receptor linkage between any contamination and a receptor.
Do I need to worry about contaminated land?
Most people do not need to be concerned about contaminated land, as in most cases the risk of living on or near land affected by contamination is very low.
It is only in isolated cases that land contamination presents a significant possibility of significant harm to groundwater, ecosystems or people who occupy the land. In such cases, long-term health effects can arise from regular or prolonged exposure to contamination, for example through dust or vapours from the land.
Government guidance and assessment criteria are intentionally conservative and are designed to protect the most sensitive receptors, including young children who may come into direct contact with soil.
Risks to water environments, such as aquifers and rivers, are regulated by the Environment Agency, which may seek improvements in water quality where necessary.