Many sites may be affected by their former uses such as mining, industry, chemical and oil spills and waste disposal.
The Environment Agency has issued a number of Soil Guideline Values (SGVs) which, whilst non-binding, may be used as guidance in the environmental risk assessment[4] of land and in setting remediation targets.
The National Planning Policy Framework[5] (NPPF) sets out that, following development, a site should not be capable of being determined as ‘contaminated land’ under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act.
This process involves three key stages: Once the remedial strategy has been approved by relevant regulatory authorities then it should be implemented.
Upon completion of this process, the site should not pose a significant risk to future users or the surrounding environment and should be suitable for its end use.