Contaminated land Bristol: rapid and reliable reports

How to evaluate contaminated sites in Bristol

Bristol City Council is dedicated to managing contaminated land effectively, ensuring public health and environmental safety while promoting sustainable development. This commitment is particularly significant given Bristol’s industrial history, which has left certain areas with land contamination challenges.

We investigate the background to contamination in the city, before outlining the council’s approach to dealing with polluted land, and the steps to take if you plan to develop such sites.

Bristol’s industrial legacy and land contamination

Bristol’s industrial past, which involved manufacturing, chemical processing and port operations, has resulted in areas of contaminated land. Common contaminants include heavy metals, oils, hydrocarbons, ground gas and chemical substances. The council proactively identifies and assesses these sites to mitigate potential risks from contamination issues.

Bristol City Council is committed to the redevelopment of brownfield (formerly developed) sites, aiming to reduce pressure on greenfield areas and promote sustainable urban growth. The council maintains a Brownfield Land Register, identifying sites suitable for residential development. Projects such as the Bristol Temple Quarter regeneration demonstrate the city’s dedication to transforming large sites on former industrial land into thriving communities.

Bristol’s approach to contaminated land

Bristol City Council employs a systematic approach to manage contaminated land:

1. Inspection and identification: The council conducts regular inspections to identify potentially contaminated land sites, prioritising those posing the highest risk to public health and the environment.
2. Contaminated Land Register: A public register is maintained, documenting sites designated as contaminated under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. As of now, there are no entries, indicating effective management and remediation efforts.
3. Guidance for developers: The council provides detailed guidance for developers planning to build on land that may be contaminated, ensuring safe and suitable development practices and adherence to planning conditions.

Developing on contaminated land

A contaminated land risk assessment must be carried out on potentially polluted sites before planning permission can be obtained. If the site investigation confirms land contamination, the report will include the remediation measures that are needed to restore the site and enable development to go ahead.

Contaminated land risk assessments are generally carried out by geo-environmental consultants who work to the Environment Agency’s Land Contamination Risk Management guidelines.

If you’re considering developing a site in Bristol with potential contamination, follow these steps:

1. Pre-application consultation. Engage with the council’s planning department early to discuss potential contamination issues and required assessments.
2. Phase 1: a desktop study and preliminary risk assessment. A thorough review of the site’s history must be made involving historic maps, land owners and pollution incidents, and a preliminary risk assessment to identify potential contaminants.
3. Phase 2: site investigation. A detailed examination is required, including taking water and soil samples to assess contamination levels.
4. Remediation strategy. A comprehensive plan must be drawn up to remediate identified contaminants, ensuring the site is safe for its intended use. A site conceptual model may be used to give environmental consultants a complete picture, helping to identify the remediation works required.
5. Validation and reporting. Following remediation, evidence must be provided to the council demonstrating that the site meets all safety and environmental standards.

Legal framework

The management of contaminated land in the UK is governed by Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This legislation requires local authorities, including Bristol City Council, to identify and remediate land where contamination issues pose a significant risk to health or the environment.

Key principles include:

• A risk-based approach: making an assessment based on the likelihood of harm being caused to people or the environment.
• `Polluter Pays’: whoever is responsible for the pollution is accountable for the required clean-up.
• Development-led remediation: contaminated land must be assessed and remediated in any future development.

Additionally, the National Planning Policy Framework emphasises the importance of remediating and reusing previously developed land.

The risks from reusing contaminated land

Developing contaminated sites risks creating new pathways for pollutants to spread and affect human health, controlled watercourses and ecosystems. The following three elements must be present to create a risk: without all three, the risk is minimal.

1. A source of contamination.
2. A pathway for the pollution to spread to receptors.
3. A receptor, such as people or an ecosystem.

Why reuse contaminated land?

The main reasons are:

• Brownfield redevelopment protects greenfield sites.
• It enables housing and business growth in urban areas where there is demand and accessibility, making it sustainable.
• Cleaning up contaminated land improves local ecosystems.

A sustainable future

Bristol City Council’s proactive and structured approach to managing contaminated land ensures that development within the city is both safe and sustainable. By collaborating with developers and consultants, the council facilitates the transformation of historically contaminated sites into valuable assets for the community, aligning with broader goals of urban regeneration and environmental stewardship.