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[F1Part IIAE+W+S Contaminated Land

Textual Amendments

F1Pt. 2A (ss. 78A-78YC) inserted (in force at 21.9.1995 for certain purposes only, at 1.4.2000 for E. in so far as not already in force, at 14.7.2000 for S. for certain purposes and otherwise 14.7.2000) by 1995 c. 25, s. 57, (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/1983, art. 3; S.I. 2000/340, art. 2(a); S.S.I. 2000/180, art. 2(1)(a)(2); S.I. 2000/1986, art. 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1Pt. 2A (ss. 78A-78YC) modified (1.2.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 5(5)(e), (with ss. 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art.2.

Pt. 2A (ss. 78A-78YC) modified (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 33(5)(e), (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3.

C5Pt. 2A (ss. 78A-78YC) applied (with modifications) (S.) (1.4.2007 for certain purposes, 30.10.2007 otherwise) by The Radioactive Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations (S.S.I. 2007/179), regs. 1(1)(2), 2-15 (as amended: (10.12.2007) by S.I. 2007/3240, reg. 3 (with reg. 2); (26.6.2009) by S.S.I. 2009/202, regs. 1, 2; (30.9.2010) by S.I. 2010/2153, regs. 1, 2, 3; (coming into force in accordance with art. 1(2)-(5) of the amending S.I.) by The Nuclear Installations (Liability for Damage) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/562), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 11 (with art. 40); (22.5.2019) by The Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/703), reg. 1(1), Sch. 10 para. 8 (with reg. 3))

F278APreliminary.E+W

(1)The following provisions have effect for the interpretation of this Part.

(2)Contaminated land” is any land which appears to the local authority in whose area it is situated to be in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on or under the land, that—

(a)significant harm is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such harm being caused; or

[F3(b)significant pollution of controlled waters is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such pollution being caused;]

and, in determining whether any land appears to be such land, a local authority shall, subject to subsection (5) below, act in accordance with guidance issued by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 78YA below with respect to the manner in which that determination is to be made.

(3)A “special site” is any contaminated land—

(a)which has been designated as such a site by virtue of section 78C(7) or 78D(6) below; and

(b)whose designation as such has not been terminated by the appropriate Agency under section 78Q(4) below.

(4)Harm” means harm to the health of living organisms or other interference with the ecological systems of which they form part and, in the case of man, includes harm to his property.

(5)The questions—

(a)what harm [F4or pollution of controlled waters] is to be regarded as “significant”,

(b)whether the possibility of significant harm [F5or of significant pollution of controlled waters] being caused is “significant”,

F6(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

shall be determined in accordance with guidance issued for the purpose by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 78YA below.

(6)Without prejudice to the guidance that may be issued under subsection (5) above, guidance under paragraph (a) of that subsection may make provision for different degrees of importance to be assigned to, or for the disregard of,—

(a)different descriptions of living organisms or ecological systems[F7, or of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter or solid waste matter];

(b)different descriptions of places [F8or controlled waters, or different degrees of pollution]; or

(c)different descriptions of harm to health or property, or other interference;

and guidance under paragraph (b) of that subsection may make provision for different degrees of possibility to be regarded as “significant” (or as not being “significant”) in relation to different descriptions of significant harm [F9or of significant pollution].

(7)Remediation” means—

(a)the doing of anything for the purpose of assessing the condition of—

(i)the contaminated land in question;

(ii)any controlled waters affected by that land; or

(iii)any land adjoining or adjacent to that land;

(b)the doing of any works, the carrying out of any operations or the taking of any steps in relation to any such land or waters for the purpose—

(i)of preventing or minimising, or remedying or mitigating the effects of, any significant harm, or any [F10significant] pollution of controlled waters, by reason of which the contaminated land is such land; or

(ii)of restoring the land or waters to their former state; or

(c)the making of subsequent inspections from time to time for the purpose of keeping under review the condition of the land or waters;

and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly.

(8)Controlled waters are “affected by” contaminated land if (and only if) it appears to the enforcing authority that the contaminated land in question is, for the purposes of subsection (2) above, in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on or under the land, that [F11significant pollution of those waters is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such pollution being caused].

(9)The following expressions have the meaning respectively assigned to them—

Textual Amendments

F2Pt. IIA (ss. 78A-78YC) inserted (in force at 21.9.1995 for certain purposes only, at 1.4.2000 for E. in so far as not already in force, at 14.7.2000 for S. for certain purposes and otherwise 14.7.2000) by 1995 c. 25, s. 57 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/1983, art. 3; S.I. 2000/340, art. 2(a); S.S.I. 2000/180, art. 2(1)(a)(2); S.I. 2000/1986, art. 2

F3S. 78A(2)(b) substituted (E.W.) (6.4.2012) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 86(2)(a), 105(3); S.I. 2012/264, art. 2; S.I. 2012/284, art. 2

F4Words in s. 78A(5)(a) inserted (E.W.) (6.4.2012) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 86(2)(b)(i), 105(3); S.I. 2012/264, art. 2; S.I. 2012/284, art. 2

F5Words in s. 78A(5)(b) inserted (E.W.) (6.4.2012) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 86(2)(b)(ii), 105(3); S.I. 2012/264, art. 2; S.I. 2012/284, art. 2

F7Words in s. 78A(6)(a) inserted (E.W.) (6.4.2012) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 86(2)(c)(i), 105(3); S.I. 2012/264, art. 2; S.I. 2012/284, art. 2

F8Words in s. 78A(6)(b) inserted (E.W.) (6.4.2012) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 86(2)(c)(ii), 105(3); S.I. 2012/264, art. 2; S.I. 2012/284, art. 2

F9Words in s. 78A(6) inserted (E.W.) (6.4.2012) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 86(2)(c)(iii), 105(3); S.I. 2012/264, art. 2; S.I. 2012/284, art. 2

F10Word in s. 78A(7)(b)(i) inserted (E.W.) (6.4.2012) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 86(2)(d), 105(3); S.I. 2012/264, art. 2; S.I. 2012/284, art. 2

F11Words in s. 78A(8) substituted (E.W.) (6.4.2012) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 86(2)(e), 105(3); S.I. 2012/264, art. 2; S.I. 2012/284, art. 2

F14In s. 78A(9) in definition of "controlled waters" words inserted (1.10.2004 for E. and 11.11.2004 for W.) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 86(2)(f), 105; S.I. 2004/2528, art. 2(q) (with art. 4, Sch.); S.I. 2004/2916, art. 2(e)

Commencement Information

I1This version of this provision extends to England and Wales only; a separate version has been created for Scotland

Marginal Citations

F2[F178A Preliminary.S

(1)The following provisions have effect for the interpretation of this Part.

(2)Contaminated land” is any land which appears to the local authority in whose area it is situated to be in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on or under the land, that—

(a)significant harm is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such harm being caused; or

[F15(b)significant pollution of the water environment is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such pollution being caused.]

and, in determining whether any land appears to be such land, a local authority shall, subject to subsection (5) below, act in accordance with guidance issued by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 78YA below with respect to the manner in which that determination is to be made.

(3)A “special site” is any contaminated land—

(a)which has been designated as such a site by virtue of section 78C(7) or 78D(6) below; and

(b)whose designation as such has not been terminated by the appropriate Agency under section 78Q(4) below.

(4)[F16Subject to sub section (4A), “harm] means harm to the health of living organisms or other interference with the ecological systems of which they form part and, in the case of man, includes harm to his property.

[F17(4A)Harm”, in relation to the water environment has the same meaning as in section 20(6) of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003.]

(5)The questions—

(a)what harm [F18or pollution of the water environment] is to be regarded as “significant”,

(b)whether the possibility of significant harm [F19or of significant pollution of the water environment] being caused is “significant”,

(c)F20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

shall be determined in accordance with guidance issued for the purpose by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 78YA below.

(6)Without prejudice to the guidance that may be issued under subsection (5) above, guidance under paragraph (a) of that subsection may make provision for different degrees of importance to be assigned to, or for the disregard of,—

(a)different descriptions of living organisms or ecological systems [F21or substances which may give rise to pollution;]

(b)different descriptions of places [F22or of the water environment, or different degrees of pollution]; or

(c)different descriptions of harm to health or property, or other interference;

and guidance under paragraph (b) of that subsection may make provision for different degrees of possibility to be regarded as “significant” (or as not being “significant”) in relation to different descriptions of significant harm [F23or of significant pollution].

(7)Remediation” means—

(a)the doing of anything for the purpose of assessing the condition of—

(i)the contaminated land in question;

(ii)[F24the water environment] affected by that land; or

(iii)any land adjoining or adjacent to that land;

(b)the doing of any works, the carrying out of any operations or the taking of any steps in relation to any such land or [F25the water environment] for the purpose—

(i)of preventing or minimising, or remedying or mitigating the effects of, any significant harm, or any [F26significant] pollution of [F27the water environment], by reason of which the contaminated land is such land; or

(ii)of restoring the land or [F28water environment to its] former state; or

(c)the making of subsequent inspections from time to time for the purpose of keeping under review the condition of the land or [F29the water environment];

and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly.

(8)[F30The water environment is]affected by” contaminated land if (and only if) it appears to the enforcing authority that the contaminated land in question is, for the purposes of subsection (2) above, in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on or under the land, that [F31significant pollution of the water environment is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such pollution being caused].

(9)The following expressions have the meaning respectively assigned to them—

Textual Amendments

F2Pt. IIA (ss. 78A-78YC) inserted (in force at 21.9.1995 for certain purposes only, at 1.4.2000 for E. in so far as not already in force, at 14.7.2000 for S. for certain purposes and otherwise 14.7.2000) by 1995 c. 25, s. 57 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/1983, art. 3; S.I. 2000/340, art. 2(a); S.S.I. 2000/180, art. 2(1)(a)(2); S.I. 2000/1986, art. 2

F24Words in s. 78A(7)(a)(ii) substituted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(f)

F25Words in s. 78A(7)(b) substituted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(g)

F26Word in s. 78A(7)(b)(i) inserted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(h)

F27Words in s. 78A(7)(b)(i) substituted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(2)

F28Words in s. 78A(7)(b)(ii) substituted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(i)

F29Words in s. 78A(7)(c) substituted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(j)

F31Words in s. 78A(8) from "pollution" to the end deleted and substituted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(k)(ii)

F32In s. 78A(9) definition of "controlled waters" deleted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(l)(i)(aa)

F33In s. 78A(9) definition of "pollution" inserted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(l)(ii)

F34In s. 78A(9) definition of "pollution of controlled waters" deleted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(l)(i)(bb)

F35In s. 78A(9) definition of "the water environment" inserted (S.) (1.4.2006) by The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (S.S.I. 2005/658), regs. 1, 2(3)(l)(ii)

Commencement Information

I2This version of this provision extends to Scotland only; a separate version has been created for England and Wales

Marginal Citations