The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability met to approve the updated Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy and to publish it on the Carmarthenshire County Council website. Concerns were raised about the increasing volume of work and resilience within the team, and officers were asked to explore ways of securing additional resources.

Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, Councillor Aled Vaughan Owen approved the updated Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy for publication on the council's website, and asked officers to explore options for securing additional resources for the team.

The Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy outlines the council's approach to identifying and managing contaminated land in the county. The strategy is required under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which places a statutory duty on local authorities to develop such a strategy. The aims of the strategy include:

• Fulfilling the council's statutory responsibilities to implement environmental legislation
• Minimising risks to health and the environment
• Reducing the council's impact on the environment
• Encouraging investigation or remediation through regeneration and redevelopment
• Raising awareness and promoting understanding of land contamination issues

The updated strategy reflects changes around terminology and policy alignment, but does not alter any core principles on how contaminated land is dealt with. The emphasis continues to be on protecting human health and the environment while operating in a proportionate and transparent manner. The strategy will be reviewed again in 2030, unless unforeseen circumstances necessitate an earlier revision.

The report submitted to the Cabinet Member noted that the strategy links with Welsh Government objectives, planning policies, and addresses contaminated land, aligning with several key objectives within the council's Corporate Strategy. Natural Resources Wales were consulted on the strategy, and their comments have been reflected in the document.

During the meeting, reference was made to the increasing volume of the workload, and concerns were raised about resilience and capacity within the team. Councillor Aled Vaughan Owen agreed that officers should explore means of securing additional resources and capacity to secure resilience within the section.

The Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy details how the council will deal with complaints, requests for information, and maintain the public register under the Part 2A regime. The strategy was developed by Tomas O'Leary, Contaminated Land Officer, and reviewed and approved by Aled Morgan, Senior Environmental Health Officer, and Robert David Williams, Public Health Lead.

Previous strategies

The council's first Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy was adopted in October 2002, with revisions in 2003 and 2015. The 2015 revision shifted focus towards identifying, investigating, and remediating sites primarily through the Development Control and Regeneration Process.

Definition of Contaminated Land

The Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy defines 'Contaminated Land' as:

Any land which appears to the Local Authority in whose area it is situated to be in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on or under the land, that:

a) Significant harm is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such harm being caused; or

b) Pollution of controlled waters is being or is likely to be caused."

The definition relies on the concept of 'pollutant linkage,' consisting of a source, pathway, and receptor.

Welsh Government Objectives

The strategy also links to the Welsh Government's objectives regarding contaminated land:

• To identify and remove unacceptable risks to human health and the environment.
• To seek to ensure that contaminated land is made suitable for its current use.
• To ensure that the burdens faced by individuals, companies and society are proportionate, manageable, and compatible with the principles of sustainable development.

Risk Management

When investigating contaminated land, a risk-based methodology must be employed, relying on the most credible evidence accessible at the given time. The Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM) webpages, which superseded CLR11 in October 2020, provide the technical framework for addressing contaminated land issues.

Synergy with Existing Policies

The Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy is integrated with other functions and policies within both the council and Welsh Government, supporting aims of environmental enhancement, regeneration, and sustainable development. It aligns with Planning Policy Wales¹ and the council's Corporate Strategy Developing Carmarthenshire Together: One Council, One Vision, One Voice .

Confirmation of Decision Record

The decision record of the meeting held on 17 July 2024 was signed as a correct record.