Contaminated Land

Under new legislation the Council is required to inspect land in its area to establish whether it is contaminated. A Strategy must be published, by October 2001, detailing how the Authority will take a rational, ordered and efficient approach to this inspection process.

The Council's approach to the Strategy recognises Inspection as being separate from Investigation of sites, and their Remediation.

The Strategy sets out an initial 3-4 year programme of activity, with opportunities for review and revision, to cover the sites known to have been the locations of potentially contaminating activities associated with the highest levels of risk of harm.
Other inspection priorities will include land owned by the Council, and land identified for particular future uses in the Development Plan. Allowance is made for dealing with emergency situations which may arise, and a subsequent programme for extending the inspection over the remainder of the Council area is outlined.
Council staff and resources involved, and the necessary linkages with other agencies and interests, including the general public and community groups, are identified.

Brief reference is made to the subsequent site investigation and remediation procedures and actions.

The Contaminated Land Strategy can be viewed here.