Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy 2019-2024
3.0 Development of the contaminated land inspection strategy
The original Strategy ('A Strategy for Remediation & Reclamation of Contaminated Land') was approved and adopted in April 2001. Initial consultation was completed by 30th June 2001, and work commenced to identify and prioritise areas of contaminated land within the Borough.
The Strategy's first review took place in 2003 followed by a second in 2009, both being approved by Cabinet and subsequently adopted on behalf of the Council.
The fourth strategy document (2014) reflected a change of approach to the inspection regime, with a prioritisation of the high risk category sites (PPC1 and PPC2) where there is the greatest potential risk to human health.
Throughout this period the authority implemented a strategy of prioritising reactive work, dealing with complaints from the public, and dealing with contaminated land through the Planning and Development Control Regime.
This is the fifth strategy document setting out Stockton Borough Council's proposals for the identification, assessment and remediation of contaminated land within the Borough of Stockton on Tees, and replaces the previous Strategies published in 2014, 2009, 2003 and 2001.
3.1 Sites inspected
As detailed in the previous strategies potentially contaminated sites have been identified as shown below in preliminary risk categories PPC1- PPC4. Guidance Document CLR 6 - Prioritisation and Categorisation Procedure For Sites Which May Be Contaminated (Department for the Environment, 1995) has been used to provide a preliminary prioritisation of the sites within Stockton Borough. The sites were assessed according to possible impacts on development, surface water and groundwater and placed in the following categories.
Table 2. Summary of the four categories for 2019-24
Priority Category | Number of sites from preliminary exercise | Sites Completed | Sites Remaining (Jan 2020) |
|---|---|---|---|
Preliminary Priority Category 1 (PPC1):
| 60 | 58 | 2 |
Preliminary Priority Category 2 (PPC2):
| 1659 | 566 | 1093 |
Preliminary Priority Category 3 (PPC3):
| 212 | 69 | 143 |
Preliminary Priority Category 4 (PPC4)
| 33 | 8 | 25 |
| Total | 1964 | 689 | 1263 |
This leaves 2 high risk [PPC1] sites which require inspection. The approach to inspection of these sites will be to prioritise the outstanding PPC1 premises. The work programme and timescales for 2019-24 are outlined in section 4.7
It is proposed that the remaining PP2, PPC 3 and PPC 4 sites will not receive preliminary inspections. We will adopt a more reactive approach and examine these sites when linked to planning developments, and as a result of complaints or reported incidents, or as part of identified project work.
The work undertaken through the planning regime is an ongoing process which enables a means of reactively and proactively identifying land which is potentially contaminated. We shall continue to work with developers and the Planning Department to remediate sites that are not within our PCC risk categorisations. It is estimated that approximately 500 sites have been assessed using this process, ensuring the health of residents and ensuring they are supported to live in sustainable neighbourhoods.
It is important to point out that to date, only one site has been determined as contaminated land under Section 78 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (as inserted by Section 57 of Environment Act 1995), Yarm Gas Works site at West Street Yarm, and this has been fully remediated.
Share this page
