Welsh Government
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£6million boost for brownfield sites in Wales

A £6million package to help bring contaminated land back into use was announced by Environment, Sustainability and Housing Minister Jane Davidson today (28 July).

The available funding - £2million a year over three years - will go to Local Authorities and the Environment Agency for projects across Wales. They will use it to investigate and take remedial action at contaminated land.

Jane Davidson said:

Contaminated land is a by-product of Wales’s industrial heritage and cleaning up these sites is of importance to the Welsh Assembly Government.

The majority of contaminated sites are dealt with through land development proposals as part of economic regeneration.

However, not all contaminated land is subject to planning development and this funding is aimed at dealing with these sites.

The Assembly Government has made available the funding in recognition of the statutory duty; namely Part 2A of the Contaminated Land Regime placed primarily upon local authorities to deal with contaminated land that is not picked up through regeneration schemes.

Restoring former developed land that has been contaminated can in certain circumstances result in such sites being brought back into use.

Not only does this reduce the risk of possible contamination but can also relieve the pressure to build on greenfield or previously undeveloped land.

This not only preserves the countryside but also provides opportunities for environmental, social and economic regeneration.

Related Links

Contaminated land

Environment and countryside

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