Industrial Site Decommissioning: Getting the Environmental Sequence Right
Decommissioning needs an evidence-first plan Industrial closures can look straightforward on paper: switch off, strip out, demolish. In reality, they succeed only when the environmental sequence is nailed from the start. Without early risk screening, waste profiling and drainage planning, projects
Ground Stability in Industrial Land Regeneration: Don’t Let History Derail Design
Old ground, new risks Industrial land carries long memories—made ground, shallow voids, undocumented services and historic foundations. If ignored, those memories resurface as differential settlement, broken drainage and costly redesigns. Early ground investigation is essential, but it should be guided by
Asbestos Risks When Shutting Down Older Industrial and Commercial Buildings
Closure doesn’t cancel duty of care When a facility closes, the duty to manage asbestos does not disappear—if anything, risk increases as services are isolated and invasive works start. Plant rooms, suspended ceilings, textured coatings, bitumen adhesives and old cladding can
WAC Testing: The Key to Cost-Controlled Demolition and Disposal
Why classification comes before excavation Every waste movement during decommissioning must be underpinned by a defensible classification. Without it, lorries are turned away, storage yards overflow and programmes stall. WAC Testing puts numbers to assumptions: metals, hydrocarbons, sulphates, pH, leachability and
From Closure to Construction: Brownfield Redevelopment After Decommissioning
Redevelopment starts before the last skip leaves Decommissioning is only the first act. If the goal is redevelopment, the groundwork for planning should begin while demolition is still mobilising. A scoped Phase 1 Desktop Study brings historic mapping, aerials, permits and
Decommissioning Fuel Stations: Managing Hydrocarbon Risk the Smart Way
Tanks out, risks controlled Petrol filling stations are compact but complex. Underground storage tanks (USTs), interceptors, vent lines and forecourt slabs create multiple pathways for hydrocarbon migration. A closure that treats every tonne as hazardous is expensive; one that assumes everything
Closing Retail Parks: Drainage, Infiltration and the Path to Repurpose
Hardstandings hide drainage surprises Retail parks and big‑box stores often sit on expansive hardstandings with complex legacy drainage. When occupiers leave and repurposing begins—trade counters, mixed‑use, last‑mile logistics—surface‑water strategies change significantly. Planning officers will expect evidence that new layouts won’t overload
Meeting Planning Obligations During Site Closure and Handover
Compliance doesn’t end at shuttering Section 106 commitments, planning conditions and management plans remain live as sites wind down. Dust, noise, water quality and traffic controls still apply; ecological measures must be protected; and any change of use ahead of sale
Ecology and Biodiversity on Decommissioned Sites: From Liability to Legacy
Nature rarely takes a break When operations stop, nature moves in—ruderal plant communities, nesting birds, opportunistic mammals. Left unmanaged, this can complicate demolition and spark objections to redevelopment. Managed well, it becomes a planning advantage. The difference is evidence, timing and
From Plant to Plots: Converting Decommissioned Sites into Housing
Sequence the change of use Decommissioned sites can become high‑quality housing, but only with careful sequencing from the very first sketch. Start with feasibility: what can be retained, what must be demolished and how will energy, drainage and materials performance be