Erection of two semi-detached dwellings, North Road, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, WF13

In order to demonstrate that after the development the site could not be classified as ‘contaminated land’ under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act a Phase I desk study report was required to support the application for residential redevelopment f the site.

A Phase I desk study report assess the potential for a site to be impacted by contamination, this is undertaken by researching the history of the site and the surrounds as well as a review of information held by regulatory bodies and a site visit.

The history of the site and surrounds were researched using a combination of Ordnance Survey (O.S.) maps, street level imagery and aerial plates, this revealed that the site was developed between 1855 and 1890 when the site appeared to be occupied by a pair of semi-detached houses. The buildings had been cleared by the 1989 map.

A number of potentially contaminative land uses were identified in close proximity o the site including a carpet yarn mill. Railway line and am in-filled reservoir.

Street level imagery indicated the site formed an open parcel of land.

The planning history of the site was reviewed as part of the desk based research and the reports associated with the previous application were located and studied, no salient information was sourced.

The published geological maps identified the site as being underlain by River Terrace deposits which in turn were underlain by the Pennine Lower Coal Measures Formation. Deposits of made ground were also recorded to be present in four locations within 250m of the site.. As no publicly available boreholes for the areas were available from the BGS no further information in ground conditions could be obtained.

Liaison with the Coal Authority indicated that the site was within a ‘Development High Risk Area’ and the risks posed by worked coal seams was required. In order to assess the potential risks as Coal Mining Risk Assessment (CMRA) was undertaken alongside the desk study report.

The CMRA identified a number of mine entries to the south of the site as well as the site being underlain by a known worked seam at 28mbgl as well as the potential for unrecorded shallow worked seams to be present.

Data provided by regulatory bodies confirmed the presence of a colliery to the south of the site as well as a reservoir to the west.

On completion of the desk based research a site reconnaissance visit was undertaken, this confirmed the site was an open parcel of land.

Once the walkover survey was completed a qualitative risk assessment was undertaken on the potential sources of contamination identified in the desk study report in order to determine if any warranted further investigation, this concluded that the potential for made ground on the site, the presence of any worked coal seams underlying the site and in-filled land off site warranted further assessment.

For issues relating to coal further works were proposed to investigate the site for the presence of coal seams.  Both site investigation and remediation in lieu of investigation were proposed for the potential issues relating to made ground and ground gases.

The proposals were accepted by both the Coal Authority and the Environmental Health department allowing planning to be granted and the further works were conditioned.