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Environmental

Our experience for your benefit

We can help you with all aspects of environmental issues.  Click on the subject below for examples of how we can help:

Contaminated Land; environmental regulation and pollution control; water legislation; abstraction and discharge consents.

Contaminated Land

Each local authority has been required to produce a register of ‘Contaminated Land’ within their area.  The definition of ‘Contaminated land’ is a complex one but in essence requires an existing source of contamination which poses a threat to the environment via a pathway which delivers that contaminant.  This is best understood using an example. 

An area used in the nineteenth century for washing down railway engines may, as a result of that activity, contain heavy metals in the soil.  Under the right conditions, these heavy metals may be washed out of that soil into a drainage ditch and via that ditch, contaminate previously uncontaminated soil.

The legislation seeks to not only identify contaminated land but also to remove unacceptable risks to human health and the environment.  In dealing with such unacceptable risks the principle is that ‘the polluter pays’, however if the polluter cannot be found (as is often the case where the pollution happened many years ago) the current landowners may be held liable for the cleanup costs and those costs can be extremely high.  The legislation is also relevant for those seeking to develop sites which may be contaminated as the nature and degree of contamination may affect the proposed development.

We can advise on the likelihood of contamination of your land, what that means for you and negotiate on your behalf with local authorities.  We can commission full contaminated land surveys and arrange for the design of remedial measures.  We can advise on development of contaminated land and apply on your behalf. back

Environmental Regulation and Pollution Control

There is a very wide and rapidly increasing range of environmental regulations and controls, both in general and specific to particular activities.  Failure to comply with relevant regulations or requirements can lead to prosecution or expensive remedial works.

We can help you to design and operate your activities within regulations and if problems do arise we can act on your behalf to resolve them. back

Water legislation, Abstraction and Discharge Consents

Regulatory control of water has been increasingly rapidly over the last twenty years, both at UK and European level.  This control will affect activities and development that impact (or potentially may impact) on either surface or ground water.  Whether you need to draw water or discharge into water, you will need to deal with the regulatory authorities.  A development with areas of non-permeable surfaces (such as tarmac) may be required to put in expensive measures to prevent pollution from accidental discharges into drains.

We can advise you on your rights and responsibilities with regard to water, act for you in negotiations on abstractions and discharges, and advise on water and development issues. back