Contaminated land report
A contaminated land report, usually called a Phase 1 desk study or preliminary risk assessment, checks whether past uses of a site could have left pollution in the ground that might harm future residents. Councils commonly ask for one when land has had an industrial or other potentially polluting use, or when a new home is being built, and may attach it to the planning permission as a condition.
This guide covers the rules in England. See Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
0 geoenvironmental consultants listed across the UK
Featured (paid) listings first, then A–Z · How we check listings
When is a report likely to be asked for?
- Sites with a past potentially polluting use, such as a factory, garage, petrol station, railway land, gasworks, tip or landfill nearby, or a farm with fuel stores or buried waste.
- Sensitive end uses. Homes with gardens, flats, schools and childcare settings are treated as more sensitive than offices or warehouses, so a new home on a previously used plot is a common trigger.
- A planning condition. Even if nothing was asked for at application stage, permission may be granted on condition that a contamination assessment is approved before work starts.
- Your council’s local validation list. Many councils list contaminated land information as a local requirement. Check yours, or ask for pre-application advice.
What a Phase 1 desk study includes
- Research into the site’s history using old and current maps
- Geology, groundwater and nearby watercourses, plus records of landfill sites and pollution incidents
- Council and Environment Agency records, and details of any earlier investigations
- A site walkover to look for signs of contamination and check the findings on the ground
- A conceptual site model setting out possible sources of contamination, how it could reach people or the environment, and who or what could be affected
- Conclusions on whether further work is needed
What happens after Phase 1
No further work
The report is submitted to the council. It may be enough to satisfy a planning condition, though the council decides.
Phase 2 site investigation
Samples are taken from soil, groundwater or ground gas on site and tested in a laboratory, to check what is actually there.
Remediation and verification
A remediation strategy sets out how the risk will be dealt with, and a verification report afterwards shows it was done.
Timing and who does it
A desk study is much quicker than a ground investigation because no samples are taken. Some consultancies quote about ten working days, but timings vary, so ask. Planning the work early matters because Phase 2, if needed, takes longer and depends on site access.
Councils generally expect the work to be done by a competent person with recognised qualifications and enough experience, and the responsibility for this sits with the developer. Ask any consultant what experience they have of reports for your council’s planning team.
In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
This guide describes the rules in England. Building regulations are devolved, so here is how contaminated land report works in the rest of the UK.
Wales uses the same staged approach in planning, assessed by the local planning authority. Check the council’s validation requirements.
In Scotland the planning authority also asks for a ground contamination assessment where land may be affected, and the process follows the same stages. The Building (Scotland) Regulations have their own requirements on contaminants, so check with your council’s planning and building standards teams.
In Northern Ireland, councils deal with planning applications on potentially contaminated land, usually alongside the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The staged approach is the same.
Common questions
Does a house extension need a contaminated land report?
Usually not. Councils focus on previously used land and new homes. Some councils use a shorter screening form for a single new dwelling in a garden. Check your council’s validation list if you are unsure.
Is a Phase 1 desk study the same as a soil test?
No. Phase 1 is research and a site visit with no samples taken. Soil, water and gas sampling is Phase 2.
What if I bought land that turns out to be contaminated?
Contaminated land can affect your plans, finances and legal position. Speak to a specialist consultant and take legal advice about who is responsible.
How much does it cost?
Providers set their own prices, which depend on the size and history of the site, so compare quotes and ask what is included, such as the walkover and any data searches.
Can I use a report someone else already had done?
Sometimes, but councils usually want a report that is recent, relevant to your layout and proposed use, and addressed to or reliable by you. Ask the council and the original author.
How is this different from a Phase 2 report?
Phase 1 identifies what could be wrong. Phase 2 is intrusive sampling and testing to check what is actually in the ground.
New to the jargon? See our glossary of terms, from air permeability to TrustMark.