"This new tool contains Geographic Information System (GIS) data on closed landfill sites. It will help ensure the advice on these old landfill sites is up to date and consistent across England and Wales"
Mark Southgate, Head of Planning and Environmental Assessment, Environment Agency
Planners in England and Wales are to receive a comprehensive database of old landfill sites to help them make quicker decisions on planning issues.
The new CD-based tool which will give Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) access to data on former landfill sites, is to be provided by the Environment Agency.
Under previous arrangements, Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) had to consult the Environment Agency on each application they received to develop land within 250 metres of old landfill sites.
The new tool is part of the Agency’s drive to be a more efficient regulator and will be updated annually.
It contains detailed information about the location and size of all former landfill sites in a Planning Authority’s area in one source for the first time.
Work on a former landfill site (courtesy Forestry Commission - Crown © 2007)
The vast majority of former landfill sites are low-risk and pose little or no threat to the environment or health.
To date consulting the Environment Agency often slowed down the planning process.
However this change means LPAs can now have all the information held by the Agency on historic landfill sites up front and can deal with certain low risk applications on new developments such as houses or buildings using the new tool.
An historic (or closed) landfill site includes any land that has been used to dispose of waste within the past 30 years and is one where there is no permit or waste management licence. Government planning policy (Planning Policy Statement 23) indicates that developers have the responsibility to assess any risks from such sites and present them to the LPA with their applications.
The Environment Agency will still need to be consulted on:
- Proposed development on top of closed landfill sites (to advise on potential risks posed to controlled waters, such as watercourses, canals and groundwater, from contaminated land).
- Proposed development on top of or within 250m of landfill sites with a permit or waste management licence (to advise on potentials risks posed to controlled waters from contaminated land, on the potential of the landfill site to produce gas and to advise on risks posed by the development to existing licensed landfill operations).
Mark Southgate, Head of Planning and Environmental Assessment said:
"This new tool contains Geographic Information System (GIS) data on closed landfill sites. It will help ensure the advice on these old landfill sites is up to date and consistent across England and Wales.
"Local Planning Authorities will find it a valuable data source as it includes information for these sites that both local authorities and the Environment Agency have collected over the years. It will allow us to use our planning resource to provide individual responses to higher risk developments where LPAs need our technical expertise and advice."