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Property Based Contaminated Land Enquiries
The Environmental Protection Team regularly receives enquiries for information on whether land, or property, is affected by contamination. These enquiries typically come from the following sources:
- House purchasers or vendors
- Solicitors or Estate Agents acting on behalf of purchasers and vendors
- Environmental consultants
- Commercial organisations, purchasing or selling land.
In response to these enquiries the Environmental Protection Team is able to provide, to persons with a specific interest in that property or parcel of land, factual information on its land use history.
This information is drawn from a number of sources within the Team’s records and includes:
- Microfiche records of previous environmental issues
- Archived environmental site investigation reports
- Geographical Information System (GIS) which includes historic land use information and some historic mapping.
Where requested, any factual information derived from these records can be related to the North Hertfordshire District Council Contaminated Land Strategy and the Contaminated Land Register.
These enquiries are different from the standard enquiries that can be made by undertaking a Local Land Charges search. The standard contaminated land questions within the Local Land Charge search are restricted to three very specific questions relating to the Contaminated Land Register.
Should you wish to make such an enquiry you should provide the following information:
- Address of the property, or land, with a post code and if possible a plan confirming its location
- The nature of your interest in the land
- Whether or not there are specific issues that have prompted the enquiry or another indication of type of information that is required.
This information or any questions relating to an enquiry of this nature should be made to the Environmental Protection Officer (Contaminated Land) using the contact details below.
The provision of information about land affected by contamination is controlled by the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR 2004), as specified within the Freedom Of Information Act 2000.
In line with the provisions of the EIR 2004, NHDC has decided to make a charge for providing such information. This charge is currently set at £65.50 but is reviewed annually. Payment should be made by cheque, payable to North Hertfordshire District Council and sent to the address below along with your request. Enquiries will be routinely answered within 10 working days, subject to the complexity of the enquiry.
Routine enquiries such as those typically received from the above sources will be dealt with without needing to go through a formal Freedom of Information request process.
In the event that any information request is considered atypical, the person making the enquiry will be informed of this fact and appropriate arrangements will be made to progress the enquiry through the Freedom Of Information system.
Contact Details
For further information please contact the Environmental Protection Officer (Contaminated Land) via the Customer Service Centre on 01462 474000 or at service@north-herts.gov.uk.
Requests for information along with payment can be sent to:
Environmental Protection Team
North Hertfordshire District Council
Council Offices
Gernon Road
Letchworth Garden City
Herts
SG6 3JF
