CONTAMINATED LAND

Britain’s industrial heritage has left a legacy of contaminated land sites and since the 1990s legislation and planning law has required its clean-up. As a result, the UK has a world-class land remediation industry.

EIC’s contaminated land group explores the issue in detail championing brownfield development across the UK. The group brings together members working across the sector - consultants, contractors, and the laboratories that carry out soil testing.

Much of the initial funding for land clean-up has dried up in recent years and government support for brownfield development has been intermittent at best, with greenfield sites often seen by housebuilders and developers as the simpler solution.

The contaminated land group has successfully campaigned for a brownfield first approach to development, spearheaded an award winning campaign to stop land remediation tax relief, and contributed to setting technical standards around the treatment of asbestos in soils.

The group informs EIC’s thought-leadership in this area producing innovative yet tangible proposals to encourage brownfield, responds to government consultations, holds events, writes articles for industry press, and regularly welcomes policymakers and industry experts as guests.

The group meets quarterly. Peter Atchison (PA GeoTechnical) is chair, with Richard Puttock (Stantec) and Jane Thrasher (Jacobs) vice chairs.