Land contamination
Land is considered as contaminated when it is polluted by substances that may pose a risk of significant harm to human health or to the wider environment.
Developer landowner responsibilities
It is a landowners responsibility to make sure there are no contamination issues on any future land developments.
If contamination issues are not dealt with then we may issue the person or developer responsible with a 'remediation notice'. Failure to comply to the notice is a crime and could lead to prosecution and a significant fine.
A remediation notice requires you to put right any damage caused to the environment or human health, pay for another body to put right that damage, or compensate for damage caused.
Contaminated land in Thurrock
Land could be contaminated if it was first used or currently used for industrial use.
Examples of contaminated land in Thurrock include:
- waste and former landfill sites, which previously accepted waste from London and the southeast
- dockyards
- power stations
- cement or asbestos manufacturers
- petrochemical installations
- petroleum spirit storage sites
- diesel storage tanks
- paper manufacturers
- agricultural activities – mainly north of the A13
You can ask us to write to you giving information about possible land contamination, or provide information about closed landfill sites within the borough. Charges for this service are:
- £88 for a standard letter about existing properties built on former brownfield sites
- £90 per hour for environmental surveys and searches
For more information, read GOV.UK: contaminated land, GOV.UK: contaminated land technical guidance and the Environment Act 1995.
Radon gas
You should contact the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA): UKradon for information about radon gas.