Property searches and Environmental and contamination risk assessments: Phase 1, 2, 3 and 4

Mortgage lenders and conveyancing solicitors are increasingly asking for environmental risk assessments as an integral part of domestic property sales searches.
On-line, ‘off the peg’ searches can give an overview of possible environmental risks but can not make an truly accurate, informed assessment.
An actual site visit and research by a qualified environmental engineer or surveyor, with local knowledge and expertise, will clearly quantify actual risk.

New developments are required to undergo a Phase 1 desktop environmental study and walkover survey. This is usually specified as a planning condition by the local authority or by the Environment Agency, and is often referred to as a contamination report. The Phase 1 provides a detailed assessment of actual risks.

Any problems identified in a Phase 1 report are physically investigated and the results of the investigation complied in a Phase 2 report.

If the Phase 2 report identifies the need for remediation works, a Phase 3 report will define specific courses of action to address the issues identified during the investigation. Following completion of the Phase 3 works, a Phase 4 inspection will report on the successful conclusion of these works and lead to approval of works and issuing of a Certificate of Remediation.
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