Monthly Archives: September 2017

Air Quality Assessment – Norfolk

Air Quality Assessment  – Norfolk

Acting on instructions from a client Southwest Environmental Limited have prepared a Air Quality Assessment for a site in Norfolk.

The site sees the development of an area of land, for industrial use. The area includes numerous sensitive receptors to air pollution, such as residential and schools.

There is also an air quality management area to the north of site, which is currently trying to meeting 40ug/m3 target set by the European Air Quality Regulations.

The assessment of risks in this instance relied on secondary data collected, and used as a baseline. With impacts considered throughout the construction and operational phases of the development.

The report was issued within 10 working days of commissioning. The conclusions were positive.

Air Quality Assessment

Flood Risk Assessment – Harrow

Flood Risk Assessment – Harrow

Southwest Environmental Limited have recently prepared a Flood Risk Assessment for a site in London.

The site was in flood zone 1, and was under the area (1 hectare) that would ordinarily trigger the requirement for a Flood Risk Assessment.

It was our opinion that the Flood Risk Assessment was requested because the site is:

  • A risk from surface water flooding.
  • Includes a basement. 
Surface Water Flow Velocity
Surface Water Depth

The report recommended that as long as a few simple measures were adopted such as:

There is surface water flooding highlighted as close to site of the extension and basement. Careful consideration will have to give to the avoidance of flow path creation. For example: the ground level at the rear of the building should be maintained so as to prevent surface water flowing towards the rear of the house. This would include depressions created for external stairways. An up an over stair crest may be required to maintain this level.

Removable flood boards should be fitted in all external doorways, up to a height a 50cm above threshold. Levels (front threshold + 50cm) should be matched at rear of property for stair crest.

Flood resilient construction should be used in basement level (see below table). Clear access should maintain from basement to ground floor level. New External and Internal Doors should hinge inwards.

Centralised service nodes such as boilers and consumer units should be situated on the ground floor level. 

Bespoke Flood Risk Assessment – London

Bespoke Flood Risk Assessment – London

Southwest Environmental Limited have been approached by a management company in London to provide a Bespoke Flood Risk Activity permit for some works being carried out adjacent to flood defences.

The work comprising of demolition works and piling works, and as such this will be a multiple activity permit application.

Unlike Environmental Permits for Installations or Waste Facilities. Flood Risk Permits are determined at the local level, rather than a centralised national office.

Turnaround times from submittal of flood risk permit to the issue of the flood risk permit are MUCH quicker than that of environmental permits for waste of industrial processes. A response can be had in 3 weeks.

The flood risk activity permit application will require various supporting information to be submitted with the application forms. Including plans, and method statements. The focus of these statements is on the protection of the water way, its banks and any flood defences.

Flood Risk Activity Permits

3 x Flood Risk Assessment – Bridgwater & Highbridge

3 x Flood Risk Assessment  – Bridgwater & Highbridge

Southwest Environmental Limited were commissioned for a “job lot” of 3 Flood Risk Assessment within Sedgemoor District Council Administrative Area.

The flood risk assessments were prepared on a rapid turnaround, provided with practical advice for the design response and resilience measures.

A good report needs good data.

Flood Defenses in the Area are not great.

Flood depths exceed flood defences.

The three projects were conversions of existing buildings and parts of buildings fro use as residential dwellings. These conversion add a constraint to the design in that often one can not extend outside the envelope of the existing building.

This becomes problematic when flood water depth is much above 50cm, as raising of floor level beyond this height is often impractcial and so other solutions have to be offered up.

Flood Risk

ELV Permit Application – Hertford

ELV Permit Application – Hertford

SWEl have been commissioned to undertake a ELV permit for a recycling company based in Hertfordshire. An End of Life Vehicle Environmental Permit (ELV Permit) will allow the company to break cars on it site, and transfer wastes on for other uses.

The site is a good site in terms of the environmental constraints. . .  for example it is not near to any SSSIs etc. which can complicate applications of this nature.

The ELV permit application requires the following documents:

  • Application Forms
  • Risk Assessment
  • Environmental Management System
  • Site Condition Report
  • Fire Prevention Plan
The fire prevention plan is the latest addition to the documentary requirements and is a time consuming document to prepare with site layout plans, stack layout plans and various other scale drawing required.
The permit is now duly made, and awaiting determination. SWEL submitted the permit on a rapid turnaround, within 1 week of commissioning. 

Environmental Permit Applications