Contaminated land is land that has substances (on, under or within its surface) that may pose a risk of significant harm to human health or to the wider environment (including water resources, the local ecosystem and built structures).
Many former industrial sites in Oldham have been redeveloped for residential use. In some cases, the fact that the land may have been contaminated wasn’t considered at the time of redevelopment and the land may still be contaminated.
Dealing with contaminated land
Contaminated land is dealt with in two ways:
Planning and development control process
The planning and development control process includes an investigation by the Contaminated Land Team of any sites that are being redeveloped. A clean-up is done (where necessary) to eliminate risk of harm from substances left in soil.