Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy 2019-2024

7.1 Risk Assessment Software

Stockton Borough Council purchased the Jacobs site categorisation software which is linked to the Geographical Information System 4 [GIS4] for the purpose of prioritising potentially contaminated sites. This geographical information system presently being updated to incorporate new themes and environmental information. It is proposed that the GIS4 system will be reviewed and updated to include environmental documents and archaeological sites of interest.

7.2 Data Confidentiality

Site Prioritisation Inspection List of potentially contaminated sites is held using appropriate organisational and technical measures to comply with The Data Protection Act (2018) and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2016, in accordance with the Councils Policy on data protection.

This data that is held is mainly incomplete and unverified and therefore reports, including conclusions based on strategic preliminary information, or incomplete data pertaining to sites that are considered to be potentially contaminated, will be treated as confidential. 

Part 3 12(4)(d) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 provides an exemption for disclosing incomplete data.

Information provided to the Council by a third party in the course of its inspection and assessment of land for potential contamination, will also be classified as confidential and will only be disclosed for public inspection with the prior agreement by the information provider.

7.3 Public Register

Section 78R of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires Stockton Borough Council to maintain a Public Register relating to actions pertaining to land identified as contaminated land under the Act.  The Public Register of Contaminated Land is available for viewing during normal office hours, by prior appointment at:

• Environmental Health Unit
  16 Church Road
  Stockton on Tees
  TS18 1XD
  01642 526575

7.4 Requests for Environmental Information

Stockton Borough Council will comply with the provisions of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2016 in all responses to requests for environmental information.

Care will be taken to ensure that the information provided is as accurate and correct as possible so as to avoid 'blighting' land and raising unfounded concerns (see Section 8.2).

Environmental information requests are normally to provide environmental information pertaining to property sales or development.