What is Contaminated Land?

Under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 the statutory definition of contaminated land is:

'...Land which appears to the local authority in whose area it is situated to be in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on or under the land, that -

• Significant harm is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such harm being caused; or
• Pollution of controlled waters is being, or is likely to be, caused.'

Statutory guidance has been issued concerning this definition (DETR Circular 02/2000).

Council's Duties for Contaminated Land

The role of the Council, as a regulator, under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is to:

• inspect its District to identify any contaminated land
• establish responsibilities for remediation of that land, and
• ensure that appropriate remediation takes place

Contaminated Land Strategy

The Council adopted the Contaminated Land Strategy in August 2001 following the Statutory Guidance DETR Circular 02/2000. Copies of this strategy are available in hard copy by contacting the Environmental Protection Team.

A Revised Contaminated Land Strategy - pdf was published and adopted by the Council in November 2004.

Access to Information

Selby District Council holds information on potentially contaminated land within the District. This information includes:

• its size
• likely contamination
• risk to human health and the environment and
• in some cases where the land has been inspected, actual data.

If any party or member of the public has a specific interest in the land, they can ask for information about that particular site.

We will only release wholesale large amounts of information relating to contaminated land under special circumstances.

If you require information, please contact the Environmental Protection Team for an official report. We will make a charge for this.

Reporting contaminated land

If you suspect that you have an area of contaminated land, report it by phone, email or in writing to our Environmental Protection Department and we will arrange for an investigation.

You can also contact us regarding this topic by using our Online Form.

Development of contaminated land

Selby District Council has produced a guide for developers who want to build on land that may be contaminated. It outlines the type of information the Council may need in order to assess a planning application on potentially contaminated land.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also issued recent Guidance on the Development of Contaminated Land (PPS23) - pdf which you can read online.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information on contaminated land, see our frequently asked questions - contaminated land.

YAHPAC Guidance on Human Health Quantitative Risk Assessment

The Yorkshire & Humberside Pollution & Advisory Council (YAHPAC) have compiled a guide to Human Health Quantitative Risk Assessment.

YAHPAC Guide - pdf

Useful links

You can find more information on contaminated land on the following websites: