Following Peter Millis' point to its logical conclusion (and just to
play devil's advocate) what if we dropped all consideration of risk and
opted for a nationwide, standard requirement for vapour barriers in
add-ons to existing buildings?
To make it easier let's assume all LAs have full records of landfill
sites and knowledge of which ones are at higher risk of gas migration,
and that we would only require site-specific risk assessment in those
cases.
What are the disadvantages and risks in taking this approach?
Regards,
Nick
--------------------------------
Nick Howard
Environmental Protection Manager
Lancaster City Council
Tel. 01524 582734
Email [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Contaminated Land Management Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter
Millis
Sent: 14 August 2007 23:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Extensions within 250m of landfill.....
Surely there is a big difference between an extension to an existing
property and a new development? Your condition seems to be more
applicable to a new development. One of my jobs outside of research is
working with a friend on building extensions and conservatories on
existing properties. In all cases concrete floors covered over with
vapour barrier membrane and insulation panels are used, and in 100% of
these extensions the integrity of the extension is greater than that of
the house onto which the extension is being built! My personal opinion
is that the conditions you are imposing are unreasonable in terms of
both timeframe and costs incurred by the owner of the existing property.
You would be better off just making it a condition of building regs
approval that a vapour barrier is in place right from the start as the
cost of this is only a few pounds and is insignificant with respect to
time when being incorporated within the build.
Regards
Pete Millis
Centre for Environmental Research
School of Life Sciences
University of Sussex
Falmer
Brighton BN1 9QJ
--On 14 August 2007 10:49 +0100 Mark Newman <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I asked a similar question a while back, but didn't get much of a
> response.
>
> I am getting a lot of planning applciations for
> extensions/conservatories within 250m of closed landfill sites. I have
> recently started using the
> condition:
>
> "Prior to commencement of development, a site investigation shall be
> carried out to include monitoring for methane gas. Monitoring should
> include sampling for methane, oxygen and carbon dioxide and should be
> carried out over a period of at least 2 months with a minimum of 8
> readings taken ? spike testing will not be accepted. The report,
> together with any recommendations for remedial works, must be
> submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority.
> Such remedial works must be carried out prior to commencement of
construction works.
> Prior to the discharge of this condition, details of any remedial
> measures used shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority."
>
> Am i justified in asking for this, or would the condition below be
> suitable for these types of applcation:
>
> "A gas impermeable membrane should be incorporated within the
structure.
> Any services entering/leaving the structure should be located above
> the gas impermeable membrane or adequate seals will have to be
> provided if the membrane has to be breached. Prior to the works
> commencing, details of the gas impermeable membrane should be
> submitted to and approved by the LPA."
>
>
> We have very little information regarding gas monitoring in the past,
> and what we do have is about 15 years old. So i cannot make a reliable
> judgement about whether or not the site is gassing. It is this
> uncertainty that makes me want to request gas monitoring each
time....
>
> Any input on this would be very gratefully appreciated.
>
> Many thanks,
> Mark
>
> (Dover DC)
>
>
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