Local List Glossary

When is this required?

• where contamination is known or suspected, or the development site is in the vicinity of such land and ground works are proposed; and
• there is a sensitive or vulnerable end user, such as allotments, residential development, including residential rural building conversions, schools or hospital.

What information is required?

The assessment, prepared by a suitably qualified person, should be prepared on the basis of identifying the existence of any contaminants, its nature and the risks it may pose to the proposed development and whether remedial measures are feasible to satisfactorily reduce the contamination to an acceptable level. 

A Phase 1 Assessment will be required for all applications which would result in a sensitive end use on a contaminated site. The assessment should include an appraisal of the site history and site walkover, a preliminary assessment of risks that would include: an appraisal of potential contaminant sources (pathways and receptors), a conceptual site model - to show the nature and extent of the potential contamination and health and safety issues. Recommendations for intrusive contamination investigation should be provided.

If a site is known to have or identified as having high levels of contamination, a Phase 2 Intrusive Investigation Survey may also be required.

Relevant policy and reason for the document:

North Devon and Torridge Local Plan 2011-2031: http://consult.torridge.gov.uk/portal/planning/localplan/adoption/

North Devon and Torridge Local Plan Policy DM02: Environmental Protection

National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 178: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-framework--2 

Applicants are advised to discuss the requirements for a Contaminated Land Assessment with the Council's Environmental Protection Team prior to an application being submitted.

m prior to an application being submitted.