Erection of Dwelling, Westhoughton, Bolton

Case Study Reference: 12-12-05

Planning Authority: Bolton Council

Planning Reference: 87891/12

Synopsis:

In order to support the planning application for the proposed development a desk study report was prepared by others to determine if there were any potential issues relating to contaminated land on the site.

The site was no accessed as part of the walkover survey and all observations were made form the eastern site boundary, and proposed further works within an undefined scope of works.

Demeter Environmental were commissioned to review the desk study report and liaise with the planning authority to agree the scope of works and to undertake the intrusive works.

The risks from ground gases was assessed and the risk was sufficiently low in order for the incorporation of gas protection measures to be a valid approach rather than undertake a 13 week gas monitoring exercise.

As the original walkover survey did not walk over the site, the absence of made ground could not be discounted, hence a intrusive investigation comprising of trial pits was proposed.

The proposed scope of works/gas protection measures were accepted by the planning authority and the investigation undertaken, the Phase II report can be accessed here. The report concluded that the site soils did not pose a risk to the end users.

The report was accepted by the planning authority and the site agent provided the information on the design of the gas protection measures and demonstration that the measures had been correctly installed.