Press

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BB interviewed some of the speakers for this event to ask their opinions on current topics.
Here's what they had to say.

Michael Moore, Senior Contaminated Land Officer, Rochdale MBC
Michael studied at Plymouth University and worked in private consulting for several years before joining the public sector.  He worked for St Helens and Trafford Councils before joining Rochdale MBC and now has over nine years experience within the public sector as a contaminated land officer, the majority of that time being on land assessment, dealing with both planning submissions and Part 2A issues.

What do you predict will be major brownfield issues in 2020?
Increased pressure to develop brownfield sites rather than green field; since the population is steadily getting larger and space to expand is becoming more restricted.
Related to above but pressure to supply more affordable homes will become overwhelming by then, even taking into account the recent drop in house prices we are still getting to the point where a large proportion of the population will never be able to afford their own homes.  Supplying affordable homes will be a challenge over the next years and using brownfield sites will be the obvious choice.

If you could choose one regeneration project that you could magically complete right now, which would it be and why?
TBA site in Rochdale, a former asbestos site which in its heyday was one of the largest in Europe producing asbestos products and dumped asbestos waste on part of the site. 
The site is situated in a valley comprising the former factory, presently occupied by commercial units surrounded by woodland which contains asbestos dumps.  To what extent the surrounding land has been impacted by the long term asbestos emissions release has yet to be assessed.  Re-development of the factory site has been proposed. Hopefully it will help remove an eyesore and bring back into productive use a large portion of land presently becoming more derelict each year.  However assessment of the site is proving very difficult in the absence of a SGV for asbestos.  Assessment of the surrounding area and remediation of the main tip will help create an area of woodland and open space which could be of great amenity value for the people of Rochdale.

What do you think are the three biggest brownfield developments/achievements from this year?
One has to be the launch of the re-vamped CLEA model, although it remains to be seen on how it will develop.  In Rochdale we are getting to the point where we have a prioritised list of sites and will be undertaking intrusive investigations, hopefully the model we assist us in assessing these sites on a risk basis, without having to pay consultant fees which will eat into our pitifully small investigations budget!
The publication of new GAC’s, which have been produced through cooperation in different sections of the industry for a large range of compounds.  Hopefully these will assist both consultants and regulators to make accurate and safe decisions more quickly.
The Corby case, the ramification of this development as yet to be felt particularly in Local Authorities, I have already been requested by management to provide a list of sites which the authority has remediated which could possibly be affected by this judgement.  It will however raise the profile of contaminated land assessments within Local Authorities, especially when it comes to remediating Council owned Part 2A sites.

If you could change one piece of legislation/regulation what would it be and why?
Part 2A, specifically on how to decide SPOSH, whilst I agree Local Authorities should have the final say on whether to or not to determine; after all they will be most knowledgeable about the site and the affected community.  I feel there should be an independent central body to advise Local Authority officers on what could constitute SPOSH.  This could avoid the problem of one authority determining on levels which another authority has chosen to walk away from.

Phil Crowcroft, Partner, Environmental Resources Management (ERM)
Phil has over 30 years experience in dealing with land contamination and brownfield regeneration, primarily in the UK.  He has undertaken many high profile projects dealing with perceived and real threats to health and the environment, and regularly provides expert witness services. His experience has been developed through work as a specialist contractor, an environmental consultant and as a regulator.

What do you predict will be major brownfield issues in 2020?
Exposure to VOCs at surprisingly low concentrations

If you could choose one regeneration project that you could magically complete right now, which would it be and why?
Crossrail, because London needs through routes, and funding is fragile at the moment

What do you think are the three biggest brownfield developments/achievements from this year?
1 - Olympics
2 - So many companies in our sector surviving the recession
3 - Waste Code of Practice

If you could change one piece of legislation/regulation what would it be and why?
Planning legislation, and it would be to bring in the principle of accredited auditors such as SiLCs to work alongside the public sector in delivering brownfield regeneration.

Jo Strange, Card Geotechnics Ltd.
Jo is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Environmentalist and also a Specialist in Land Condition (SiLC). Her specialist fields are land contamination, remediation and landfill gas. Jo has been involved in monitoring of landfills and design of gas control systems, in addition to carrying out assessments of soil gases and associated risk assessments and design of gas protection solutions for commercial and residential developments.

What do you predict will be major brownfield issues in 2020?
It may not be brownfield per se, but with respect to groundwater contamination, I think in the future that mine waters are a time bomb waiting to happen.

Japanese Knotweed will also cause bigger headaches to developers.

Depending on how the European Soil directive progresses, we may all be doing something completely different yet again.

If you could choose one regeneration project that you could magically complete right now, which would it be and why?
Had you asked me in 2008, I would have said Liverpool ONE, as that is my home city, which is often sadly maligned, but is a great place and deserved the make over that this regeneration project provided.

For 2009, it has to be the Olympic Park, so that all the facilities could be completed and test run in advance. It is essential for the UK brownfield and construction industries that the work is completed and the promised environmental improvements delivered so that the 2012 Olympics run smoothly with no risk of last minute construction or logistical glitches in full view of the rest of the world and lasting legacy remains for the residents of east London and people of Great Britain.

What do you think are the three biggest brownfield developments/achievements from this year?On-going publication of SGVs- is the start of an achievement provided the production continues.
The ruling against Corby Borough Council, may have repercussions across the brownfield industry; that remains to be seen.

Hopefully better H&S awareness and procedures in the wake of the tragic fatal accident to an engineer from Cotswold Engineering. Not an achievement, but a sad reality check.

If you could change one piece of legislation/regulation what would it be and why?
I would wish to see changes to the waste definition and legislation which allow sensible re-use of materials between sites without requiring environmental permits, in order to maximise recycling of soils rather than disposal or needless pseudo processing.

Simon Talbot, Ground-Gas Solutions Ltd
Simon has worked for over twenty years on ground investigations and contaminated land issues with much of this time focusing on ground-gas contamination.

What do you predict will be major brownfield issues in 2020?
Mining valuable resources from former landfills and returning the sites to beneficial use.

If you could choose one regeneration project that you could magically complete right now, which would it be and why?
Regenerate the countries remaining Victorian terraced housing by the constructing sustaining energy efficient housing that is fit for the next 100 years.

What do you think are the three biggest brownfield developments/achievements from this year?
Media city – Salford Quays

New Islington – East Manchester

London Olympic site

If you could change one piece of legislation/regulation what would it be and why?
Change the existing contaminated land regime to one that is more pragmatic, less complicated and easier to use to effect change. The current system is far too bureaucratic and stifles innovation.

Martin Freeman is the Managing Director of ProTen Services Ltd.
With 40 years’ experience of supplying specialist building services, Martin has also owned a laboratory consultancy service and has been involved in the introduction of a number of innovative products and techniques associated with building conservation and the health of the occupants.

What do you predict will be major brownfield issues in 2020?
Many gas barriers installed by non-specialists today will be failing and causing major problems 10 years down the line. Significant spending will be required to mitigate buildings that were not correctly protected during construction and litigation against designers and developers will be routine by then.
If you could choose one regeneration project that you could magically complete right now, which would it be and why?
The Dyson Engineering Academy in Bath, because the site is crying out for it, the perceived problems can be solved in design and construction and the British economy needs the dynamism and innovation of British engineering.

What do you think are the three biggest brownfield developments/achievements from this year?
1: The fact that the Olympic site development appears to be running on schedule is a huge achievement. Many critics predicted there would be long delays, and that it would never be ready on time. The ODA claim they are ‘firmly on track’.
2. The ruling against Corby Council will have sent shockwaves around Councils, industry and members of the public alike. It will serve as a powerful wake up call that effective and accurate evaluation of developments is paramount.
3. Bristol Cabot Circus shopping centre, which opened just over a year ago. It was a £500m project that took eight years, making it one of the country’s largest city-centre redevelopment schemes of recent years. A journalist this week said ‘now the heart of Bristol is beating again’, and I have to agree.

If you could change one piece of legislation/regulation what would it be and why?
Approved Document C of the Building Regulations, to require radon protection in all new buildings. With some 2000 people dying from lung cancer linked to radon exposure each year in the UK, it is a travesty that, despite academic research and public consultation to support the change, the Government are considering postponement of the revision of the regulations until 2013. A further 6000 people will have died by this stage and death traps will continue to have been built.