Contaminated Land - Case Study

Hambridge Road, Newbury: Former Fuel Transfer Depot

This former fuel transfer depot is being redeveloped as a retail park. Previous work on the site had shown a confusing picture of hydrocarbon contamination and no clear strategy for remediation.

Voelcker have developed an innovative strategy for the remediation of the site, which included further investigation to better delineate the contaminant plume and complex negotiations with the Environment Agency to achieve agreement on commercially viable Remediation Targets acceptable to the regulators, the funders and the developer.

During the previous usage of the site, leakage from tanks and pipelines together with an operational spillage during fuel transfer had contributed to a contaminant plume extending over an area of 1500 m2.

The site is over a water supply aquifer and investigation revealed a complex hydrogeological regime with upward and downward flow together with seasonal variations in water levels and flow directions.

A hydrogeological risk assessment was carried out leading to determination of the Remediation Targets for both soils and groundwater.

The development programme was such that time was not available for remediation of the site to be carried out prior to commencing construction. A scheme of remediation was therefore devised to enable in situ air sparging and soil vapour extraction to be carried out whilst construction proceeded above the treatment.

The remediation has been successfully completed and the system decommissioned ahead of the scheduled completion of the development. The end result has been a very cost effective redevelopment of a derelict and abandoned site..

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CL Voelcker have extensive experience in undertaking analysis of soils, waters, gas and other environmental media. Please contact CL Voelcker. for a discussion of your requirements.