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Desktop Study – Wotton-under-Edge

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Desktop Study – Wotton-under-Edge

Southwest Environmental Limited have been commissioned to write a Desktop Study for a Site in Wotton-under-Edge.

Wotton-under-Edge is a market town within the Stroud district of Gloucestershire, England. Located near the southern end of the Cotswolds, the Cotswold Way long-distance footpath passes through the town. Standing on the B4058 Wotton is about 5 miles from the M5 motorway.



The proposed development is an extension to a property, and is adjacent to some in-filled land. This has flagged the requirement for a Site Contamination Assessment, the first stage of which is a Desktop Study. We aim to deliver the report on a 5 Working Days turnaround.

We are happy to discuss you site free of charge over the phone, so please give us a call. We try to be as quick as possible, and if you require a report quickly please say and we will do our best to get it to you for your required deadline. 

Contaminated Land Land Advice


Desktop Study – Leeds

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Desktop Study – Leeds

Southwest Environmental Limited have recently issued a Geotechnical Desktop Study for a site in Leeds. The report followed our typical format for a Geotechnical Desktop Study including sections on:
  • Site Information
  • Land Use
  • Geology
  • Ground Stability Issues
  • Mining History
  • Review of Legacy Borehole Data 

In this instance we were asked to provide climate data and earth quake (seismic) data. It is interesting for us when we asked to vary or reports! As we do get a l;little tired of following the same format time and time again.

Earth Quakes in the UK

The largest known British earthquake occurred near the Dogger Bank in 1931, with a magnitude of 6.1. Fortunately, it was 60 miles offshore but was still powerful enough to cause minor damage to buildings on the east coast of England. The most damaging UK earthquake was in the Colchester area in 1884. The BGS publish a map of seismic reflection which we used to find a value for the design. 

Climatic Variation 


There are of course good records for climate data in the UK, however we need to add allowances for climate change these are then added on to modelled variances, whether these be historic maximum values or modelled outcomes.

Flood Risk Assessment – Devon

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 Flood Risk Assessment – Devon

Southwest Environmental Limited have been commissioned to undertake a Flood Risk Assessment for two lake side holiday lodges, in Devon.

We were approached by Architects who provided plans and fave a description of the proposed development for 2 holiday lodges situate don the edge of a Lake.

This type of development is becoming very popular as it is the 3rd FRA we have prepared for such a development in the Southwest, in recent months.

A Pond

Perhaps the single most important factor is the likely flood depth. For this we have two sources, one being slightly quicker than the other which was used in this instance because the report was required on a quick turnaround.

Southwest Environmental Limited have prepared Flood Risk Assessments for a large variety of developments from small houses, to factories and 200 home developments, we provide the same high level of services to all clients regardless of project value. 

Travel Plan – Wigan

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Travel Plan – Wigan

Southwest Environmental Limited have been commissioned to write two travel plans for sites in Wigan. The plans relate to the upgrade of sports facilities within the Wigan area. 
The travel plan draws on data from a transport assessment, and and makes recommendation for target reductions in cars based transport with increases in sustainable transport methods such as walking. 
Did you know that 800m is considered a maximum reasonable walking distance when assessing Transport.  
The reports are currently being written and will be submitted to Wigan Council for review, and hopefully approval!

Transport Assessment – Thurrock

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Transport Assessment – Thurrock

Southwest Environmental Limited have recently been engaed to undertake a Transport Assessment for a School in Thurrock District Council. 

The Transport Assessment is to support a Planning Application for extension for a school. The extension includes numerous new class rooms as well as associated site layout improvements.

The transport assessment will include a baseline study, junction modelling and an assessment oif routes to and from the school.

SWEL have prepared numerous transport assessments in Thurrock, and can normally produce reports of this nature on a quick turn around.

We would be happy to discuss you project with you by phone or email. There is a no charge until we agree a fee for our services.

BAT Assessment – Norfolk

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BAT Assessment – Norfolk

SWEL have recently produced a BAT assessment for a installation permit application in Norfolk. A BAT assessment is a report which look at BAT (Best Available Technique) for a particular process and then compares the proposed process with those techniques.

Typically BAT is carried out using the relevant “How to Comply” document for you sector. Sector specific guidance can range from effluent treatment, surface treatment of metals or food and drink. Each set of guidance has its own BAT for a particular process.

The BAT Assessment reports focesses on Gap Analysis. i.e. the point at which you proposed process does not aline with BAT.

Sometimes BAT is a number or benchmark, which say for the foo and rink industry is 50mg/m3 for Dust (Particulates).

Sometimes BAT is a way of doing something, for example including a buffer tank in you effluent treatment system.

Writing s BAT assessment is a time consuming task, and it is not overly interesting either. We will give you a set price quotation for writing your BAT Assessment, and if you choose to go ahead that is one less thing for you to do!

H1 Risk Assessment Consultants

Odour Management Plan – London (WC1B – Camden)

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Odour Management Plan – London (WC1B – Camden)

Southwest Environmental were recently commissioned to write an Odour Management Plan for a Chinese Restaurant in Southampton Row, London.

Usually these reports are produced for Planning applications, but in this case the Odour Management Plan has been requested by the Landlord of the building in question.

We visited the premises to make an inspection of current arrangements and found a pre-installed system, which broadly meets the current guidance for odour management measures. 

A typically system for a moderate odour application would contain grease baffles, course filtration and GAC filters. These were all present in this case.

The odour management report was prepared on a quick turnaround and will include all management measures required to staify landlords requirements. These are operational documents written in plane English.

Southwest Environmental Limited can prepare Odour Management Plans for all types of restaurants, we have experience with Turkish, BBQ, Charcoal Cooking, Fish and Chips Shops and all manner of other eateries.

If you would like to discuss your requirements then please call and we can discuss your needs, no obligation of course.

Flood Risk Assessment – Enfield, London

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Flood Risk Assessment – Enfield, London

Southwest Environmental Limited were approached by a firm of Architects, and were commissioned for producing a Flood Risk Assessment for  Residential Extension in Enfield.

In this case the report was required on a quick turnaround. We would normally recommend waiting for bespoke site data, takes around 20 workings days to be delivered. But in this case that was too long due to deadlines, and so the report was prepared based on commercially available data that is delivered same day.

The house is very close Immediately adjacent to a water course, and as such is at some risk of flooding the purpose of the flood risk assessment is to assess this risk, and provide quantitative commentary on the nature of the flooding.

Limited advice was also given of rainwater attenuation. An attenuation volume was calculated as part of a Surface Water Management Plan, although this does not constitute a Full Drainage Strategy.

Drainage Strategy – Amersham, Buckinghamshire

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Southwest Environmental were contact my a firm of architects who required a Surface Water Management Plan (Drainage Strategy) for their site is amersham. The project involves the extension of an existing warehouse.

The additional roof area has the potential to create run-off. A design was put forward to counter this problem.

Run-Off is when water falls on a hard surface, and does not soak in to the ground. It then will “run-off” . . . but where will it go. Perhaps it is caused flooding elsewhere. This is the purpose of a Surface Water Drainage Strategy. It sets out a method for dealing with Run-Off

The report was prepared on a quick turnaround (5 working days) and submitted for review. Pending some minor amendments at request of the client the report was submitted to Chiltern District Council for Scrutiny.

Are current design avoids the use of soak-away drainage although is does recommend for some attenuation.

Indoor Air Quality Monitoring – Bristol

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SWEL Air Quality Consultants Bristol were approached by a site manager in Bristol who was concerned with odours in one of his companies meeting rooms. Southwest Environmental attended site to make an assessment of what was occuring.

It looked as though some carpet tiles on the floor of the room identified were “melted” in some way. It is likely we thought that some sort of solvent had been spilled on the floor. . .or had been present when the tiles were laid.

We start a rapid monitoring program for the presence of VOCs in the room in line with occupational exposure limits. We also sent the carpet tiles for analysis, to find out:

  • The type of Resin use in their making
  • Foreign contaminants (such as solvents)
We are awaiting results on both the monitoring and the analysis and will make conclusions is due course.