Dealing with Contaminated Land
The value of land can be very high,
and the law and guidance on it can be complex. These web pages give
in good faith simple information in everyday language. You should
not rely on it for any formal legal purposes, but instead, should
take your own advice from relevant professionals if anything
important is at stake.
Human activity can leave behind
effects on land as much as it can affect the atmosphere or the
water environment. Most land in the UK has been affected in
some way by human activity, but nearly all land remains perfectly
suitable for its current use.
Changing land use:
Development, Planning, and Building Control
Often land use has to change, and
it is sensible to check that the changes do not give rise to any
new risks.
The main responsibility will be
with land-owners, but the Council is involved in this when changes
require planning permission or building Regulations approval. Where
the Council thinks that there could be a risk, conditions will be
put on approvals to make sure that the risk is properly assessed
and if need be, addressed.
Guidance for developers and
contractors to help them understand and deal effectively with this
issue has been written by the Council in conjunction with other
Essex councils. Follow this link to the guidance document:
Land Affected by Contamination
Technical Guidance for Applicants and Developers.
It is available in print and
on CD-ROM while stocks last from Environmental Health Services:
click here for Contact Harlow details
Risk from existing
uses
Rarely, the condition of land
of land is a risk to human health or the environment without any
change taking place. It is sensible to check to see if there is any
evidence of this, and to counter risk when found. As part of its
duty under the Environmental Protection Act, the Council adopted a
Contaminated Land Strategy and following national guidance, has
looked for land that has a history of use that might have caused
serious contamination, where there is evidence of risk under
existing circumstances. No sites that needed intervention, and to
be formally registered under the legislation as “Contaminated
Land”, were found.
If you have any queries about this
page, call Environmental Health Services on 01279 446111,
or follow this link for Contact Harlow
details