GeoConnexion
 
Home
 
Geo: International
 
This month's issue Online News Online Articles
 
GeoConnexionUK
 
This month's issue Online News Online Articles
 
GEOlympics
 
GeoRisk
 
GeoResources
 
Recruitment Directory Events Education Subscription Contact Details Media Pack Autumn Company Showcase ISPRS - Information From Imagery FIG - International Federation of Serveyors
 
Login
Email: Password:

 

Forgotten your details?
Click here
 
 
Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader

GeoConnexion UK > News > News Item

BROWNFIELD BUILDING BOOM GOES UNNOTICED

Only two in ten aware of environmental threats to new build property

A survey commissioned by GroundSure, one of the UK’s leading providers of environmental risk screening reports to the UK’s commercial and residential property sectors, has revealed that only two in ten people (21 per cent) are aware that the majority of new build residential properties are built on land that is considered to be at greater risk of being contaminated by hazardous waste or pollution.

The statistics released today suggest that the general public remains uneducated about the scale of residential property development taking place on Brownfield land in the UK. Last year, approximately 73 per cent of new build properties were constructed on or close to Brownfield land, which is statistically far more likely to be at risk of contamination.

The survey did reveal, however, that general awareness of environmental risks when purchasing a new home was fairly strong.

From the sample, 21 per cent of respondents cited proximity to contaminated land as a key environmental risk to consider when purchasing a house, suggesting those aware of the recent Brownfield building boom understand the risks associated with this development.

Not surprisingly, given the flooding emergency that hit the UK in June and July of last year, flooding was listed as the greatest environmental concern, with 40 per cent of respondents naming this as the most threatening environmental risk.

Subsidence (27 per cent) and property being built near a landfill site (6 per cent) were the two other main categories named as being the most threatening.

Paul Livett, Chairman of GroundSure, commented: “Although it is encouraging that the general public’s awareness of the need to take environmental threats seriously when purchasing property is high, it is worrying that the scope of Brownfield development, which impacts the likelihood of property to be built on or near contaminated land, has gone largely unnoticed.

“The recent lack of available free land in the UK has led to a Brownfield boom, with over 70 per cent of homes built in recent years being constructed on previously used Brownfield land.
“There is a clear distortion between how seriously the public takes environmental risk, and how few realise the extent to which new developments are being constructed on or close to potentially contaminated land. This, I feel, must be addressed as a matter of urgency.” concluded Mr. Livett.


For more information visit:

www.groundsure.com


GeoConnexion UK

 

Past Issues - Archive
Two new distributors for OceanWise … More…
08 February 2012, 11:11pm
Smarter approach for London Swimming Pool Company… More…
08 February 2012, 9:32pm
MVA achieves 30pc cost reduction using TomTom data… More…
08 February 2012, 8:19pm
Landmark and MapAction partner for charity… More…
07 February 2012, 8:58pm
Better assessment of lakes with remote sensing… More…
27 January 2012, 12:23pm
UNITAR boosts rapid mapping capacity with UAVs… More…
19 January 2012, 11:03am
Space and its benefits: a top priority for Europe… More…
19 December 2011, 9:19pm
Confidence is key to women’s spatial skills… More…
09 December 2011, 12:48pm
Flying over the three-dimensional Moon… More…
08 December 2011, 3:05pm
This Month's Burning Issue...
Each month we select a hot topic and a leading figure in the industry to write about it.
This month's burning issue:

Adopting Cloud computing can save money, but good governance is essential to manage the risk argues Mike Small

Only, two, in, ten, aware, of, environmental, threats, to, new, build, property

A, survey, commissioned, by, GroundSure,, one, of, the, UKÂ’s, leading, providers, of, environmental, risk, screening, reports, to, the, UKÂ’s, commercial, and, residential, property, sectors,, has, revealed, that, only, twoMore…


Website content & images remain the intellectual property of GeoConnexion Ltd. All rights reserved