Erection of a Country Club and Hotel, Ripon Hall Avenue, Ramsbottom, Bury, BL0

Case Study Reference: CS13-04-06

Planning Authority: Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

Planning Reference: Bury Metropolitan Borough Council and 63344

Synopsis:

In order to demonstrate that after the development the site could not be classified as ‘contaminated land’ under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act a Phase I desk study report was required to support the application for residential redevelopment of the site.

A desk study determines what issues relating to historical contamination may affect the site, this is undertaken by reviewing the site history using a combination of O.S. maps, aerial, plates and street level imagery, a review of data held by regulatory bodies (Environment Agency, local authority, BGS etc.) as well as a site walkover survey.

The history of the site and surrounds were researched using a combination of Ordnance Survey (O.S.) maps, street level imagery and aerial plates, this revealed the site was initially (1846) Initially (1846) the site comprised of woodland (to the east, south and west) and open land on the reminder of the site. Broad Hey ran through the site from north to south.

An excavation is identified on the 1929 map on the northern boundary of the site. By 1937 the excavation had expanded south, filter bed and sludge beds were also identified on the site.

The area of the excavation is identified as a refuse tip on the 1962 map (which extended north off the site) , and by 1970 the filter beds had been replaced by a number of tanks, a pond (infilled prior to the 1978 map) and a chimney is also identified on the site. The tanks had been extended by 1986, and by 1987 the site had been cleared.

The planning history of the site was reviewed as part of the desk based research and reports associated with any previous application were located and studied, no previous applications were noted.

The published geological maps recorded the site to be in an area where deposits of made ground were present. The drift geology is given as Devensian Till and the solid geology is given as Brooksbottoms Grit of the Marsdenian epoch.

Data provided by regulatory bodies identified the presence of a refuse tip to the north of the site as well as a number of parcels of potentially in-filled land within 250m of the site.

On completion of the desk based research a site reconnaissance visit was undertaken, this confirmed the site comprised of an open parcel of woodland, no evidence of the past uses or the landfill were noted.

Once the walkover survey was completed a qualitative risk assessment was undertaken on the potential sources of contamination identified in the desk study report in order to determine if any warranted further investigation, this concluded that the potential for made ground to be present on the site as well the past uses of the site and the use of the site as a refuse tip all had the potential to impact the site and the end users and site investigation as well as gorudn gas monitoring was required.

The report was submitted to support the application, the recommendations of the report were accepted, planning granted and the proposed works were conditioned.