Contaminated land
Contaminated land refers to circumstances where ground has become polluted in some way. Most often this is as a result of substances being spilt or otherwise deposited from historic industrial activity, but elevated amounts of hazardous substances may be present from natural sources too.
If contamination of the land is not properly dealt with, it may pose a risk to public health and the environment.
The responsibility for dealing with land affected by contamination rests with those who caused it, the owner or occupier of the land or, in the case of land being developed, the person redeveloping it.
The Council works closely with various regulatory partners, including the Environment Agency, to prevent new contamination being caused, or to require clean-up by the responsible polluter.
More information about contaminated land at GOV.UK.
Contaminated land guidance
Development on previously-used land can be more complex. Our leaflet offers further advice and guidance on tackling possible contamination issues during the development process:
Contaminated land strategy
We have responsibility for developing and delivering the strategy to identify contaminated land within the borough of Swindon and to ensure that it is made safe. We also comment on, visit and review current or proposed developments on brown field sites to ensure the works will not harm public health now or in the future.
This strategy outlines how we deal with contaminated land in the borough. It describes how we identify and prioritise sites for further investigation, as well as information about liability, enforcement and remediation.