Contaminated land in Birmingham: get a risk assessment fast

Contaminated land risk assessments in Birmingham: recommended environmental experts

Birmingham, often called the `City of a Thousand Trades,’ has a proud industrial heritage. However, this legacy also means that areas of land have been contaminated by past industrial activities. Hazardous contaminants include heavy metals such as mercury and lead which can affect water and soil.

Birmingham City Council recognises the importance of dealing correctly with contaminated land to protect public health, encourage sustainable growth, and meet regeneration goals. Redeveloping contaminated land requires adherence to strict guidelines which include investigation by expert geo-environmental consultants. Engaging highly qualified consultants offers a cost effective solution.

Here’s an overview of Birmingham’s policy on contaminated land, its historical context, how reusing polluted sites will support the city’s development.

Contaminated land in Birmingham, West Midlands

Birmingham’s industrial past is a major factor in land contamination. Areas like Smethwick, Hockley, and Digbeth have a history of industries such as metalworking, chemical production, and manufacturing. These activities often left behind harmful substances like heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and solvents in the soil and groundwater.

For instance, the Smethwick area, known for its foundries and factories, has pockets of contamination from industrial waste disposal; Hockley, once a hub for jewellery-making, has sites containing residues of chemicals used in plating processes, and Digbeth has contamination from historic fuel storage and industrial spills.

Risks from disturbing contaminated land

Disturbance creates the risk of exposing pollutants by creating new pathways for the contamination to spread and affect people, watercourses and the wider environment. The risk from contamination depends on:

1. The source of contamination.
2. A pathway: a route for contamination to reach receptors, such as by skin contact.
3. A receptor: people or the environment being exposed to the contamination.

If one of these three elements is absent, there will be a minimal threat.

Legal framework: A Duty to Act

Legal obligations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Part 2A) require local authorities to identify and manage contaminated land. The Act ensures that land affected by contamination and posing risks to human health or the environment is assessed, remediated, and made safe for its intended re-use.

Key principles include:

• “Polluter Pays”: this means that the original polluters are responsible for clean-up wherever possible.
• Site owner responsibility: if polluters cannot be identified, current landowners may bear the cost of remediation.
• Planning control: redevelopment of contaminated land must include site investigations, risk assessments and a remediation strategy as part of the planning process.

According to Paragraph 197 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), responsibility for the safe development of contaminated land lies with the developer, landowner, or both. The NPPF is based on a presumption in favour of sustainable development: it states that planning policies should support the use of suitable brownfield land for development.

Birmingham’s policy goals

Birmingham City Council aims to balance growth, sustainability, and environmental protection. Its contaminated land strategy reflects this balance and key objectives are:

1. Protecting public health.
   Ensuring the safe development of land is a priority. Contaminated land poses risks, such as exposure to harmful chemicals or migration of pollutants into controlled waters. The council takes proactive measures to prevent harm.
2. Encouraging brownfield redevelopment.
   Birmingham is committed to reusing brownfield (previously developed) sites to support growth in the city while minimising the need to build on greenfield (undeveloped) land. With limited space and a growing population in the West Midlands, making the best use of existing land is essential. Areas like the Eastside regeneration zone have shown how brownfield transformation can revitalise communities.
3. Working with developers and stakeholders.
   The council collaborates with developers, landowners, and highly qualified environmental consultants for due diligence purposes to ensure that contaminated sites are properly assessed and remediated. This approach aligns with Environment Agency policies, planning regulations and the NPPF.
4. Transparency and public engagement
   Birmingham City Council provides information on contaminated sites and consults with affected local communities during remediation projects.

The contaminated land risk assessment

A contaminated land risk assessment must be carried out before planning permission will be granted for development on a potentially contaminated site. The assessment will prove that the site has been investigated, and if any issues are identified, that proposed remediation work will make the site viable. Contaminated land risk assessment services are generally carried out by geo-environmental engineers and will enable the local planning authority to process the application, reduce chances of objections to a scheme, and minimise risk of future liabilities concerning the site.

What happens during a contaminated land assessment?

A geo-environmental consultant will carry out site investigations to identify potential sources of risk and propose solutions according to the Environment Agency Land contamination risk management (LCRM) – GOV.UK) guidelines. The steps are:

1. Phase i desk study.
   Geo-environmental engineers will gather background information, including historical maps, environmental records, and evidence of previous site uses. This phase determines potential contamination sources in preparation for the next phase.
2. Phase ii site investigation.
   The consultant conducts on-site geotechnical and contamination testing, which involves collecting soil and groundwater samples. These are analysed in a laboratory to determine the presence and concentration of contaminants. Hand dug trial pits may be used to monitor ground conditions and specialist software tools will be used. An initial conceptual site model may be used to create an overall picture of the site and consultants may use a geographical information system. Geo-environmental engineers will also investigate adjacent properties to check ground conditions for contaminated land.
3. Risk assessment.
   Using the information from the site investigations, this phase determines risks to human health, water supplies, and the environment. Geo-environmental engineers consider factors like land use (e.g., residential or industrial) and pathways through which contamination might spread.
4. Remediation strategy.
   If the statistical analysis identifies risks, the consultant’s options appraisal sets out a plan to make the site safe. Remediation technologies include contaminated hotspot removal, soil waste management – removing soil and replacing it with clean soil – engineered topsoil cover systems, vapour barrier membrane installation and contaminated groundwater remediation.
5. Validation.
   Consultants ensure that the protection measures in the remediation strategy meet the required conditions set, providing evidence to satisfy regulatory and planning requirements.

Sustainable development

Birmingham is committed to becoming a greener city and establishing clean zones for development. By addressing land contamination, the council will ensure that safe land is used for promoting economic growth and sustainability.

Conducting site investigations and thorough risk assessments enables our specialist environmental consultants to identify contamination hotspots and recommend the required protection measures. Providing independent validation, this phased approach will comply with regulations set by the Environment Agency and legislation, and give planning applications their best chance of success.

For more information about how Arbtech’s expert geo-environmental consultants can help you, fill in our quick quote form at the top of this page.