All local authorities now have a duty to identify any contaminated land which is hazardous to health or the environment. There is now a legal definition of contaminated land and local authorities must follow specific legal rules to ensure that those who are responsible for the contamination take steps to clean up.
Contamination may be discovered during the redevelopment of land. In these situations, developers will need to take account of the risks posed to the future users of land or the local environment in their development proposals.
