Contaminated Land Survey

What is a Contaminated Land Survey?

A contaminated land survey is undertaken to provide advice to developers and property owners on the likelihood and/or potential presence of contamination on a site which is proposed to be developed. Contamination of land can occur naturally, arise owing to man-made activity over a period of time, or may occur due to a single contamination event. A contaminated land survey will enable production of a contaminated land report summarising the findings and providing recommendations for mitigation and/or remediation measures.

There are various stages to completing a contaminated land survey. The first stage is to complete a desktop assessment. This will comprise obtaining and reviewing site record information in relation to potential sources of contamination, pathways and receptors. This initial desktop assessment will clarify whether a contaminated land survey on the site is required. Should it be determined that a contaminated land survey is required then the environmental consultant will attend the site to assess this in more detail. The contaminated land survey may require other intrusive tests and surveys such as boreholes, trial pits, window sampling etc. to provide greater detail on the ground conditions.

Following the above stages of a contaminated land survey the environmental consultant will produce a contaminated land report which will summarise the findings. Should a level of contamination be identified which is significant enough to pose a risk to human health then the contaminated land report will be inclusive of an options appraisal and proposed remediation strategy. The elements of the contaminated land report will need to be discussed and agreed with the Local Authority and will also likely need the Environment Agency to be engaged.

The final stage of the contaminated land survey is the verification and validation stage which will provide an independent assessment and approval of the remediation methods and/or protection measures which have been implemented to mitigate the risk of contamination.

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What is included in a Contaminated Land Survey?

A contaminated land survey report will include various sections, typically as follows:

The contaminated land survey report will include an introduction, which will generally set out the terms of reference, the objectives of the contaminated land survey report, the methodology used to conduct the contaminated land survey and the structure of the report.

The introduction will then be followed by a description of the site and the settings. This will include confirmation of the site location which has been subject to the contaminated land survey. This section will also summarise the adjacent land uses, the site layout and activities, any site constraints, and relevant site history, Should the site have been subject to any previous contaminated land surveys then reference to these will be included.

The next section of the contaminated land survey report is an overview of the environmental setting and sensitivity. This will include commentary on the geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, flood risk, regulatory database entries, and site sensitivity. As part of the contaminated land survey regulatory enquiries will be made and a summary of these will be included in the report.

The next section of the contaminated land survey report is a summary of potential contaminant sources, including a description of any potential sources, their pathways, the receptors, and a preliminary conceptual site model. A preliminary risk assessment will then be included and a conclusion advising on the overall land quality and suitability for use.

All relevant references will be included in the contaminated land survey report, and applicable documents will also be appended.

Why do I need a Contaminated Land Survey?

A contaminated land survey is required for numerous reasons. Firstly, a contaminated land survey will provide a developer or client looking to undertake specific works with a clear understanding of whether a proposed site is contaminated. This is pivotal to understand as remediation of contaminated land is very expensive and needs to be undertaken in line with certain regulations. The associated cost may make a development unviable, and it is therefore key to understand the extent of contamination before a site is purchased or development progressed with.

In addition to this, a contaminated land survey may be required to demonstrate to a local authority as part of the planning process that the land is not contaminated or if it is then to what extent and to identify appropriate and agreeable remediation options. A contaminated land survey is also often required by certain organisations such as the MOD etc.

Finally, a contaminated land survey may be required to assist with achieving certain credits in reference to environmental assessments such as BREEAM, DREAM etc. Conducting a contaminated land survey often achieves credits in order to obtain a higher rating.