Contaminated Land in Berkshire: Planning Support

Contaminated land in Berkshire

If you’re considering developing a site in Berkshire, it’s essential to understand how local authorities manage contaminated land. Berkshire comprises six unitary authorities: West Berkshire, Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Slough, and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead: each of these councils serves as the planning authority for its respective area and manages contaminated land.

Contaminated land: a definition

Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 defines contaminated land as any site where substances in or under the ground present significant risks to health, property, or the environment. Paragraph 197 of the National Planning Policy Framework makes developers or landowners responsible for the safe development of contaminated sites. Contaminated land may contain substances posing risks to human health or the environment, including heavy metals, gases, asbestos, oils and chemicals. In Berkshire, contaminated sites can be found on former industrial, waste disposal and chemical manufacturing sites. Reusing contaminated land risks creating pathways for pollutants to spread.

Part 2A mandates local authorities to identify and remediate contaminated land. For example, West Berkshire Council’s contaminated land strategy emphasises:

• Identifying and removing unacceptable risks to humans and the environment.
• Seeking land remediation through the development management system.
• Encouraging voluntary site remediation.
• Ensuring that contaminated land is made suitable for its current use.

Berkshire’s councils encourage the redevelopment of previously used brownfield sites. West Berkshire Council emphasises that the planning process is the main route for remediating contaminated sites: protection of the environment is a key element of the public protection partnership between West Berkshire Council, Bracknell Forest Council and Wokingham.

On potentially contaminated land sites, a contaminated land risk assessment must be carried out before planning consent will be granted. Contaminated land assessments are carried out by geo-environmental consultants working to the Environment Agency’s Land Contamination Risk Management guidelines. When planning to develop contaminated land take these steps:

• Pre-application meeting with the local authority.
• Phase 1 desk study and site walkover.
• Phase 2 site investigation: soil, groundwater and gas samples will be tested.
• Assessment of risk to humans, water sources and ecosystems.
• A remediation strategy to deal with contaminated land issues.
• Validation: Regulatory standards must be met and reports provided to the local authority.

Future development on contaminated land in Berkshire

Berkshire’s unitary authorities are proactive in managing contaminated land. Adherence to the contaminated land assessment process will inform developers about remediation work required on a site – if any – and ensure regulatory compliance.

Arbtech’s experienced geo-environmental consultants can help you assess how best to deal with contaminated land issues. For further information, fill in our quick quote form at the top of this page.