Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval by the Executive Member for the adoption and publication of the updated Contaminated Land Strategy.

Resolved:  That the updated contaminated land strategy be approved and a review be undertaken at least every five years.

Reason:  This will fulfil the council’s legal duties to update the contaminated land strategy and to inspect potentially contaminated sites.

The Executive Member considered a report that sought approval for the adoption and publication of the updated Contaminated Land Strategy.

Officers gave an update and confirmed:

·      the council has a statutory legal duty to ensure that its contaminated land strategy was kept updated and that potentially contaminated sites were inspected.

·      the strategy was last revised in 2010 and must be modified at least every five years, inline with statutory guidance, to ensure it remained up to date and relevant.

·      the main updates related to legislation and guidance.

·     York had 3,690 potentially contaminated sites that had been identified and were being assessed in priority order. 

The Executive Member noted that of the 3,690 potentially contaminated sites, 88 had been categorised as Category A (high priority), where there was a high risk of an unacceptable impact on people or the environment, and that:

·        13 sites had been inspected under Part 2A where 9 of these required Phase 2 investigations.

·        20 sites had already been, or would soon be, investigated through the planning regime (including Heworth Green gasworks, York Central and British Sugar).

·        49 sites were currently in use as industrial/commercial   premises and no further action was required at present and

·        6 sites had not yet been inspected.

In answer to the Executive Members questions officers confirmed:

·        They would not be reviewing sites to the most relevant guidance if the strategy was not updated, which could potentially put people and the environment more at risk, and the council could also be challenged legally for not using the most pertinent version.

·        They had not inspected the 6 Category A sites due to the withdrawal of the contaminated land capital grants programme in April 2014 and currently the sites showed no significant risks to the public or the environment but should the land usage change officers would intervene.

·        They also identified new or changes to the usage of contaminated sites through the planning system and could add conditions onto the planning development.

·        That the Environment Agency would be responsible for any pollution caused by fracking.

The Executive Member thanked officers for their report.

                  Resolved:  That the updated contaminated land strategy be  approved and a review be undertaken at least every five years.

Reason:      This will fulfil the council’s legal duties to update the contaminated land strategy and to inspect potentially contaminated sites.