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
)
Havant Borough Council, Civic Centre Road, Havant, Hampshire PO9 2AX
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