I'm also one of those who take the view that the guidance shouldn't be about small development. The risks from land contamination are independent of the size of the site.
The risk for small developers is really one of misunderstanding the financial risks arising from underestimating the remedial costs. Although as stated by others not only limited to small developers.
The guidance needs to be focused on how those thinking of developing any land are made aware of the risks and true costs of developing land affected by contamination before they've paid too much for the land.
Perhaps if there was a centrally funded regime to help bring unused land into productive use that might help - there appears to be plenty of money for road and rail schemes, and there's me thinking the problem was not enough houses getting built. ;-)
Neil Scott
Senior Scientific Officer
Eastleigh Borough Council
Views expressed are entirely my own
|