Guide
Contaminated land compliance checklist
A yes/no checklist for verifying contaminated land compliance, covering council records checks, environmental investigations, planning conditions, remediation requirements, and ongoing monitoring obligations.
Check if your land is contaminated and take action if needed. Use the checklist to review council records, investigate risks, and meet planning conditions. Local authorities enforce rules under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
- Check local authority records for contaminated land history
- Identify contaminant sources, pathways, and receptors using DEFRA’s 2012 guidance
- Conduct a Phase 1 Preliminary Risk Assessment (PRA) for development plans
- Trigger a Phase 2 ground investigation if contamination risks are found
- Follow the Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM) framework for remediation
- Comply with National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) paragraph 189 for developments
- Maintain public registers of remediation actions as required by law
- Special sites (e.g., nuclear, SSSIs) are regulated by the Environment Agency
About this checklist
Use this checklist to verify that you have met your contaminated land obligations. It covers the main compliance steps for businesses that own, occupy, or are purchasing land that may be contaminated. Work through each section and address any gaps before they become enforcement risks.
This checklist applies primarily to England. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate regulatory frameworks, noted in the callouts below.