Brownfield site meaning

Key points in the proposals The consultation seeks to fine‑tune the BNG framework to better suit minor, medium and brownfield schemes, ensuring biodiversity gains are both workable and effective across different development scales and contexts. Proposed changes to exemptions The government is weighing revisions to existing BNG exemptions to lessen burdens on low‑impact projects: Single‑dwelling exemption: substituting the current self‑build/custom build carve‑out with a wider exemption for single homes De minimis threshold: increasing the habitat impact exemption from 25 square metres to higher levels (e.g. 50, 100 or 200 square metres), enabling more minor schemes to proceed without BNG requirements Major development exemption: considering exempting everything except major developments from BNG, effectively returning to the pre‑2 April 2024 position The government is considering additional exemptions for: parks, public gardens and playing fields developments primarily aimed...

In this issue: Obtaining, implementing and amending planning permission Biodiversity net gain Nationally significant infrastructure projects Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Related Documents Obtaining, implementing and amending planning permission MHCLG launches consultation on new statutory build out framework The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has opened a technical consultation seeking views on establishing a statutory build out framework. This framework would extend to qualifying residential developments of 50 or more dwellings, using powers in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA 2023) and the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Under the proposals, developers would be obliged to: submit a build out statement alongside their planning application to local planning authorities (LPAs) for consideration serve a commencement notice on LPAs before any development commences on site provide yearly reports to LPAs on housing delivery progress MHCLG also proposes to bring into effect...

What does the report reveal about the extent of the PFAS contamination problem in England and the economic burden of remediating these sites? The Jacobs assessment indicates there are between 2,900 and 10,200 high-risk PFAS locations throughout England, covering as much as 672,000,000m2 in total. ‘High-risk’ encompasses: airports; military bases; fire stations; landfills; wastewater treatment plants chemical sites; oil and gas facilities; nuclear sites; metal plating pulp and paper manufacturing sites; and ‘TULAC’—textiles, upholstery, leather, apparel and carpets The true count of PFAS-affected places is expected to be considerably larger. Other sectors are treated as ‘presumed PFAS’ sources, including: automotive; electronics; waxes; paints and inks; plastics cleaning products; cosmetics; and sewage sludge applied to land Jacobs estimated that remediation per high-risk site could vary from £400,000 up to £29bn, with a weighted average of about £9m. They further judged that total clean-up could ‘possibly’ reach £121bn, and even then the hazards would not be...

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are now central to managing environmental risk, with mounting expectations on companies to evaluate their environmental and social performance. Sustainability underpins the Environment Agency’s (EA) land contamination risk management (LCRM) guidance, which requires climate change to be addressed within risk assessments. In recent years, organisations such as The Society of Brownfield Risk Assessment (SoBRA) and CL:AIRE have issued supporting guidance and schemes that reinforce the EA’s sustainability objective. For more on ESG, see Practice Note: ESG—new starter guide. What is environmental risk? The EA’s LCRM guidance, published in October 2020 and replacing the 2019/2020 versions, sets out how to assess and manage risks arising from land contamination. Environmental risk is one of several ESG matters relevant to organisations and stakeholders, alongside risk areas such as health and safety and data security management. Risk is defined as the combination of the probability, or frequency, that a specified hazard will occur and the magnitude of the consequences if it does. See Practice Note: Environmental...

Meaning of brownfield land A brownfield site is land that has been built on before and could be reused, enlarged or redeveloped. It usually comprises vacant, derelict or under‑utilised industrial and commercial areas. Redevelopment may encounter theoretical or actual environmental constraints. Most commonly these stem from contamination arising from historic activities, though other constraints can include invasive plant species, flooding and archaeology. What is the National Quality Mark Scheme? The National Quality Mark Scheme (NQMS) for Land Contamination Management, introduced in 2017 by the National Brownfield Forum (formerly the Land Forum), provides a clear identifier for documents that have been quality‑checked by a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP). Its purpose is to enhance confidence and improve the quality of submissions under regulatory processes, particularly planning applications, relating to brownfield land. It is recommended to view the map of local authorities that reference the NQMS. What is a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP)? A Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) is an experienced professional with expertise in land contamination. Their...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Back end Contentious, disputes‑focussed legal services, for instance representing a party in litigation... Benchmarking A method for assessing whether service quality and pricing align with prevailing market levels (where they exist) without running a formal competition. It can also be applied to track improvement or evaluate performance... Best value The obligation on every local authority to arrange for continual improvement in how its functions are carried out, having regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness (Local Government Act 1999, s 3). This entails considering costs, securing value for money, and ensuring services reflect community needs and the authority’s priorities. See Practice Note: Best value in public procurement... Bid bond Also called a tender bond (or guarantee). Used within the tender process to secure performance by bidding contractors, most commonly on international projects...