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Contaminated Land: Strategy for The Identification &
Prioritisation of Sites
For a site to be identified and determined as
'contaminated' within the meaning on Part IIA; it is necessary to
demonstrate the existence of a significant pollutant
linkage. This is where an existing Contaminant
('Source' of pollution) is causing, or is likely to cause
significant harm to a Receptor, or 'Target'
(Human Health, Ecology, Water Quality, or Buildings for example)
via a 'Pathway' (a route for contaminants to be exposed to
a receptor).
Without the identification of all three
elements of a Source, Path, Target (or
SPT) pollutant linkage, land should not be identified as
contaminated land as defined under Part IIA of the 1990 Act.
Local Authorities are required to take a
strategic approach to carrying out an inspection of its
administrative area for the purpose of identifying potential areas
of contaminated land.
In addition, the Council has a duty to ensure
that any contaminated land identified is properly remediated
(subject to reasonableness and other tests) by the appropriate
person(s), and then to maintain a register of regulatory,
investigative and remedial actions for sites determined under
the Part IIA contaminated land regime.
As described under 'Part IIA Powers' below,
collecting sufficient physical site-specific data to determine a
site as contaminated land takes up a significant resource.
Potential sites will therefore be prioritised so that the areas
posing the greatest risk to the environment or public health can be
targeted first.
Havant Borough Council's
Contaminated Land Strategy
Document is available for viewing online as a pdf file (Acrobat
reader required - 306
kb
), and sets
out the provisions to ensure that these duties are upheld, in
accordance with the legislation and all associated guidance.
It describes proposals for the inspection of
the Borough, prioritisation methods, and how associated functions
will be carried out.
Under the terms of this strategy, the process
of assigning priority to potentially contaminated sites will
account for:
- The uses of the land and potential severity of pollution
(size and duration of polluting activity, type of substances
used; i.e. potential Sources),
- The likelihood that any pollutants will reach a receptor
(contaminant mobility, proximity to potential receptors and
permeability of localised geology i.e. potential
Pathways), and;
The sensitivity of receptors likely to be affected (current
land uses, protected ecological areas and geology, i.e.
potential Receptors)