Contaminated Land Site Investigation – Newton Abbot

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Southwest Environmental had previously carried out a Phase 1 Contaminated Land Desktop Study for a site in the Teign Valley. The site had been extensively worked as mine over the last 100 years or so, before being developed for residential use, probably around 40 years ago.

Soil sampling was undertaken using hand dug trial pits across the site, with a total of 10 sampling locations. Gas monitoring wells were also installed under the proposed extension foot print, ground water was close to the surface.

Sub soils conditions were varied, bedrock was encountered in the first 1 meter below ground level in some holes, whilst other were fill.

Plan Annotated During Field Work

We are awaiting results from the labs but there were no odorous materials detected during the ground investigation.

Site Investigation Devon

Phase 1 Desktop Study – Plymouth

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Acting on instruction from a developer in Plymouth, Southwest Environmental produced a phase 1 desktop study report for a planning application.

The site was on the city outskirts and had enjoyed an agricultural history. It was not foreseen that the land could be unduly contaminated and so its was recomedned that the site contamination assessment be arrested at this first phase.

An agricultural past with no buildings on site will nearly always mean low risk of harm resulting from site occupiers, although of course each site has to be assessed on an individual basis.

 Desktop Study Plymouth

Attenuation Tank Design – Surrey

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Following on from planning level reporting resulting in the conditioning of various surface water management requirements. Southwest Environmental are finalising design of surface water management system for a site in Surrey.

Design of attenuation tank in line with SUDs manual – Outflow requirements are negotiated with local sewer provider Thames Water, and tank capacity is adjusted to minimise capital outlay for developer.

Application is made to Thames Water for Sewer Connection. 

Note: The size of a surface water attenuation tank is based on the peak inflow rates from the site  (the run-off coefficient is taken it to account when calculating this), and the maximum outflow rate. For example a 5 litre per second outflow rate would require an attenuation tank size of 20 cubic meters, whilst a 10 litre per second out flow would require an 8 cubic meter attenuation tank.

As well as the attenuation tank design, a maintenance plan was submitted for it continued upkeep.

Environmental Permit Application – Exeter

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Environmental Permit Application – Exeter

Acting on Instruction from a business in Exeter, Southwest Environmental were commissioned to undertake a environmental permit application for a bespoke end of life vehicles, waste facility (EOLV).

Environmental Permit Application -Site Condition Report

Owing to an an industrial past it was deemed appropriate to undertake soil sampling on site to establish baseline conditions before permit issue. This is not only a requirement of the permit application but helps safe guard the operator against liabilities arising from contaminated land.
Site works took place over two days, site surfacing although continuous was easily broken through, and sampling was completed in around 4 – 6 hours.
Samples are currently at the labs, and records of results will be placed in the site condition report.

Environmental Permit Application – EMS

The company do have aspirations to become accredited to ISO14001, and this would satisfy EMS requirements under the permit, but in the mean time the company will use a in house system.
The environmental management system was written by southwest environmental with aspects and impacts being carefully considered before the products of management matrices etc.

Desktop Study – Exmouth

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Desktop Study – Exmouth

Acting on instruction received from an architect in Devon, a phase 1 contamination survey was conducted at a property situated in close proximity to historic mine workings. The dwelling which is established on site is in fact an old engine shed / pump house left over from historic mining in the area.

The geology in the area was very complex, with numerous faults and metamorphosed mud stones and shale, it is likely that the mineral working were advanced in search of hydro thermal deposits.

It became apprent through the review of histroic maps that mining had been carried out on site since before 1889.

In this instance further work was unavoidable, as so a site investigation and quantitative risk assessment were recommended.

Desktop Study Exeter

Flood Risk Assessment – Wandsworth, London

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 Flood Risk Assessment – Wandsworth,  London

SWEL were engaged by a firm of architects in Wandsworth, London to undertake a flood risk assessment for a change of use planning application.

The report was completed in under 5 working days, and issued via email. Recommendation were that checks should be made to confirm estimate existing floor levels and if they were above a certain level, then permission should be granted.

Of higher than usual concern in the area was sewer flooding, which may have been a result as a result of catchment transfer on a local level.

Flood Risk Reports Wandsworth

Flood Risk Assessment

Geotechnical Investigation Bristol

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Geotechnical Investigation Bristol

SWEL were engaed to undertake a geotechnical investigation within an existing reatial unit, structural engineers required ground data so as to construct a mezzanine floor.

There was restrict access on site but with the help of an expert crew from Stunt Drilling Services,  3 rotary boreholes were advanced 10 meters below ground level in to the Sandstones and Coal measures that underlie the site.

Core recovery improved with depth, and rock core logging was used to give empirical rock mass strength estimates.

Below is a video of site works (drilling rig) underway.

Running a drilling rig in a building can cause a build up of fumes and as such an extractor system was used to suck exhaust gas outside the building via lots of ducting.

Site Investigation Bristol

Geotechncial Consultants Bristol

Legal Review – Insect Nuisance

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Legal Review – Insect Nuisance

SWEl are undertaking a legal review of a business environmental managment proceedures relating to insect nuisence experinced by neighbouring properties.

A waste treatment facility gives is situated in close proximity to a collection of office buildings, summer see fly populations reach klevels where by occupants are annoyed / irritated by presence of flys.

Site owners are concerned that the fly problem which is now established is discouraging potential tenants from the office park.

SWEL are conductig a legal review with an aim to making a case to aid the site owners in their aim of reducing the fly nuisence.

Compliance Consultants

KABA Implements Carbon Reduction Measures

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Earlier in 2013 southwest environmental limited were engaged by KABA to assit in their accreditation to ISO14001.

The process of accreditation requires the assessment of current carbon emissions, to form a baseline by which to gauge reductions.

It was found that the key areas for carbon reduction were:

  1.  Transport
  2. Space Heating
  3. Compressed Air 

Basic calculations were used to highlight significant carbon sources.

KABA operates a very modern vehicle fleet, the vast majority of which have very low emissions. It was felt despite there being considerable carbon emissions associated with the use of vans and cars, there was little scope for saving here.

Space heating requirements are currently met by gas fired boilers, in an attempt to lower emissions these are to be swapped for ultra efficient  condensing boilers.

The replacement of the compressor with a more efficient model also aims to reduce carbon emissions. A compressor with a flexible out put is more likely to increase power supply factors, and a stop start system often is impractical without increasing power supply factor, creating extra expense. A way around this is to use a variable load compressor which rather than stopping and starting, slows down and speeds up dependant on demand, thus avoiding these knock on effects.

Environmental Management Systems

Site Contamination Asessment Bristol

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Site Contamination Assessment Bristol – Introduction

Acting on instruction from a planning consultant, Southwest Environmental have undertaken a site contamination assessment in St. Philips, Bristol.

The site is currently in use as a builders yard and is ear marked for development.

Site Contamination Assessment Bristol – Work Undertaken

Six exploratory location were chosen and soil samples were taken from the top meter of soil, there was a great thickness of made ground on site, in places extending to the full depth of the exploratory holes.

Bristol has many buried river channels and it became apparent that a buried river channel or culvert runs along the site boundary.

breaking out positions

There was a considerable thickness of concrete on site, and made ground was hard going composed for the most part of brick, whether whole or in parts.

Geologically Bristol centre is normally river silts over marls.

Sample were sent for testing and results are awaited.

Site Contamination Assessment