Southwest
Environmental LimitedSouthwest
Environmental Limited| London |
| 02076 920 670 |
| Exeter |
| 01392 927 961 |
| Manchester |
| 01612 970 026 |
| Bristol |
| 01173 270 092 |
Following a Desktop Study it was recognised that a site in Exeter had an industrial heritage, the site had been used for a number of years as a land fill site, there were no records kept of what was placed as fill.
The site in question was
relatively small and as such it was deemed only a small number of
investigative points were necessary, eight positions were chosen, 6 of
which were designated for shallow soil sampling, and the other two for
shallow soil sampling and installation of monitoring wells.
The site work went well being completed in one day, and the shallow soil
samples and ground water samples were promptly dispatched by courier to
the UCAS accredited labs for testing.
Although during drilling no suspicious smells were noted, it was
apparent on return of results from the labs (2 weeks later) that some of
the soil on site was contaminated. It was now necessary to decide how
contaminated.
A quantitative risk assessment was performed, this involves comparing
the levels of contamination found on site with the Soil Guidance Values
that are provided by the
Environment Agency.
Each SGV is varied depending on the
intended use of the site. Commercial land use requires the lowest land
quality and Residential with Gardens requiring the highest.
Gas and groundwater monitoring reveal nothing unusual and therefore the
site was deemed fit for use and construction started.
If needed geotechnical
samples could have been collected for foundation design during the site
work stage of the Investigation, in this instance these were not required
The below section was written by a machine.
This report details a professional intrusive ground investigation conducted in the Exeter area. As a core component of the development cycle, this Phase 2 study was commissioned to characterize the underlying soil and groundwater conditions, building upon the preliminary findings of a Phase 1 Desktop Study. By utilizing on-site physical data, we provide the technical clarity required to manage environmental liabilities and optimize foundation designs for future construction.
The project involved a multi-disciplinary approach to ground characterization, ensuring that all data collected was robust enough to support a wider Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or detailed planning statement. The site-specific scope included:
The findings of this Exeter investigation are critical for satisfying the requirements of the local planning authority and the Environment Agency. For projects in this region, the data often informs a site-specific Flood Risk Assessment (FRA), particularly regarding infiltration rates for sustainable drainage design. Furthermore, for industrial sites, this intrusive data provides the mandatory baseline evidence required for a Site Condition Report (SCR) as part of an environmental permit application.
With over 15 years of industry experience and a national portfolio of 900+ projects, Southwest Environmental Limited provides the technical authority required for complex ground investigations. Our team delivers evidence-led reporting that stands up to regulatory scrutiny, ensuring that site constraints are identified and mitigated early in the project timeline. By combining local geological knowledge with national professional standards (IES/FGS), we ensure your project moves from investigation to construction with a robust evidence base.