Conveyancing risks in the CA postcode

3rd September 2015

CA Postcode Area

Contaminated land

• 6 Part 2A EPA1990 sites, 5 potentially contaminated land sites
• 222 historic landfill sits (regulated by the Environment Agency)
• 31 active landfill sites (regulated by the environment Agency)
• 9 Ordnance/military sites
• 150 records of petrol stations (current and historic)

Flood

• 409km² of CA is within Flood Zone 2
• 357km² of CA is within Flood Zone 3
• 80km² of CA is at a Low risk of surface water flooding
• 47km² of CA is at a Significant risk of surface water flooding

More information on flood zones can be found here: http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/flood-risk-and-coastal-change/flood-zone-and-flood-risk-tables/table-1-flood-zones/

Energy

• 8 landwells relating to the extraction of conventional oil and gas and coalbed methane
• 2 operational power stations
• Part of the CA area is within a ‘Proposed Block’ which is an area that could be licensed for hydrocarbon extraction
• 3 records of planning applications relating to hydrocarbon extraction
• 51 records of applications relating to multiple turbine wind farms
• 251 records of applications relating to single wind turbines

 

Notes on contaminative activities

Petrol stations: Petrol stations have substantial underground tanks containing large volumes of fuel. Leaks within such tanks have the potential to cause widespread contamination and the leaks require expert decommissioning when petrol stations cease operations. Residual petrol storage tanks may pose a risk of explosion, fire and ground and surface water contamination. Strict regulations are now in place, however, weren’t in the past and therefore historic sites still pose a high risk.

Landfills: Leachate and landfill gas are produced as a result of the decomposition of waste materials, some of which can be hazardous and may also contain asbestos. Landfill leachates and gas may continue to be produced many years after a site has closed. Landfill gas can cause explosions like the Loscoe house explosion in Derbyshire.

Ordnance/Military Sites: MoD land encompasses a range of activities from administration through to storage and manufacturing. A wide variety of contaminants are likely to be encountered on many of these sites dependant on the activities present. Some of the key site features are RAF or Army bases; research and development sites (such as chemical and biological weapons research); ranges, disposal and incineration areas; bulk fuel depots and site refuelling facilities; maintenance and repair workshops; storage areas for vehicles, fuels, ammunition and chemicals; production facilities including explosives and munitions, and chemical weapons; and nuclear facilities. Typical contaminants include: explosives, chemical warfare agents, solvents, metal powders, fuel and lubricating oils, unexploded ordnance, radioactive contaminations, chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents, asbestos, hydrocarbons and heavy metals.

Many MoD sites were closed and decommissioned to standards of the day which may not have been consistent with current standards.

Flood Risk

Flood Zones or flood plains are the areas of land that will flood if a river bursts it banks or the sea rises above normal levels. Many properties are built within or on the edge of floodplains. In England, 2.4 million properties are located within flood plains. The expected annual damages to residential and non-residential properties is estimated to be at more than £1 billion (this is only from river and tidal flooding)

Surface water flooding is increasingly becoming more of a problem as more permeable surfaces are built over with developments, leaving runoff with nowhere to go. There are around 2.8 million properties in England at risk from surface water.

Energy Infrastructure

Why do we need to know about energy infrastructure when buying property? Some people are not adverse to large scale energy infrastructure and many forms have positive impacts. However, this is not the view of everyone. Energy infrastructure can have adverse effects on air quality, increased CO2 emissions, visual impacts, house prices.

 

Data Sources:

Part 2A sites – this information is provided by the Local Authorities based on their Contaminated Land Public Registers, as well as data sourced and digitised by GroundSure

Landfill Sites – provided by the Environment Agency

Ordnance Features – sourced and digitised by GroundSure based on historical mapping and local knowledge.

Petrol Stations – provided by Catalist Limited.

Flood – EA Flood Zone 2 – Environment Agency

Landwells –Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)

Power Stations – DECC

Proposed Wind Farms – Glenigan

Solar Farms – DECC

 

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