Residential Development, Market Street Hambleton Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6

Case Study Reference: CS20-09-04

Planning Authority: Wyre Council

Planning Reference: 15/00727/OUT and 15/00727/DIS

Synopsis:

In order to determine if the proposed development was ‘suitable for use’ and that the site could not be determined as contaminated land under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 a contaminated land planning condition was attached to the decision notice for the subject planning application.

The first stage of discharging the contaminated land planning condition was to undertake a Phase I Desk Study report.

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 review of the site history (using both historical O.S. maps as well as aerial plates) revealed the site was initially developed prior to the 1912 map and the existing dwelling was erected prior to the 1965 map. Street level imagery revealed the small building was a residential garage.  An in-filled pond was noted 40m east fog he site, which was in-filled prior to the 1930 edition O.S. map.

A review of the environmental data did not reveal any potential sources of contamination.

On completion of the desk based assessment a site walkover survey was undertaken, the floor slab of the former residential garage as well as floor slabs along the north eastern boundary were noted. The remainder of the site was overgrown.

The qualitative risk assessment undertaken as part of the reporting concluded that the potential made ground under the floor slabs and across the site has the potential cause harm.

Given the likely limited areas that made ground may be present both further site investigation (Phase II) or remediation in lieu of investigation (Phase III) were proposed

The desk study was submitted as part of an application to discharge conditions (15/00727/DIS) identified as ‘Phase I desk study’, ‘Demeter environmental map’, and Groundsure reports’.

The memo from the Environmental Health Officer (‘Environmental health – contamination‘) confirmed the desk study report was accepted and confirmation as to the way forwards (site investigation or remediation) was required.

Once the client confirmed that remediation was the preferred way forwards and the Phase IIIa Implementation Plan was prepared providing details of the methodology of the validation, this was submitted (‘Phase iiia report’) the memo accepting the Phase IIIa report (Environmental health – contamination – 9^th `December 2020) is available online with 15/00727/DIS.