Local Authority Part IIA Site Prioritisation, Kent
The identification of "potentially contaminated sites" generally leads to the creation of many hundreds, if not thousands, of data entries within the GIS, such that it becomes extremely complicated to collate information and undertake investigation of all sites.
The key task faced by the Local Authority is therefore to identify the most pressing and serious problems first, and target available resources at these sites. Southern Testing are able to offer a range of consultancy-based services to aid decision-making and meet statutory obligations.
Recently we undertook a project for a Local Authority who were concerned about where certain sites had fallen within their prioritised list. It was felt that there was a need for further refinement in the modelling, to produce a greater spread in the overall site risk scoring, and to bring forward from the results those sites considered to be of genuine regulatory concern, whilst also demoting those of less interest.
We completed the task for over 1600 sites in less than 4 months, by:
- Production of a "Refined" Conceptual Model and source, pathway and receptor scoring.
- "Preliminary" Site Screening - Manual review and refinement. Data Capture using spatial queries.
- "Refined" Site Screening - Manual review and refinement of "source" risk scoring and site categories.
- "Detailed" Site Screening - capture of historic planning application data and review for top 100 sites.
Standard GIS systems were used to capture relevant source data and produce composite central tables, which were fed back into the Local Authorities 's existing system. Summary screening reports were created for every site at each step in the process, providing an audit trail to justify the decisions made.
Finally, Enhanced Desk Studies were produced for key sites. These incorporate all data that may be expected of any good Desk Study, and a full risk-scoring conceptual model with all significant pollutant linkages scored and ranked. Additionally, data collected within the GIS was used to allow zoning of the sites for physical inspection, and to produce statistically robust inspection options.
Based on this information, and our extensive experience, an overall budget was produced for the most cost effective inspection of each of the key sites, taking into account the identified risks and the costs of mobilisation.
Southern Testing have carried out over 16,000 projects in the past 40 years. We are designers and project managers of award winning sustainable remediation schemes, and we have a vast experience of providing this and many other services to Local Authorities, including project management, supervision and liaison with local residents, regulating and consulting bodies. We are also able to offer support with preparing DEFRA funding applications and assisting the Local Authority in their statutory role as consultees in the planning process.
