Phase 1 - Site Survey

As the name suggests, a Phase 1 site survey is the first step in a contaminated land site assessment, which generally involves the following aspects:-.

  • Site walkover and visual inspection
  • Desk top study including a review of historical and geological maps and local environmental information
  • Qualitative contamination assessment (source, pathway, receptor)and preliminary conceptual site model (CSM)
  • Liaison with Environment Agency and local authority
  • Production of a Phase 1 Report

The outcome of the Phase 1 site survey is the production of a preliminary conceptual site model (CSM), which is a qualitative assessment of risks that may arise as a result of the impact of potential sources of contamination via plausible pathways upon sensitive receptors given the intended end-use scenario of the site in question.

Risk is defined as a combination of the probability, or frequency, of occurrence of a defined hazard and the magnitude of the consequences of the occurrence. In the context of Part IIA, for a risk to be realized all three aspects of the source-pathway-receptor linkage must be present, plausible and significant.

The outcome of this initial phase of works will define the requirements of future works.

All sites and scenarios are different, which as a result means that investigations need to be tailored to our client’s specific requirements. Therefore at Terragen we aim to ensure that all aspects of our site investigations not only address the specific requirements of our clients, but also address the demands of the local planning authority and the Environment Agency within the regulatory and planning framework.

If you would like further information on other aspects of the Contaminated Investigation process then please see the following pages. Alternatively if you require additional advice or have a question relating to a specific site please contact us at info@terragenenvironmental.co.uk