WHERRY FACTORY, BOURNE LINCOLNSHIRE PHASE I/II GEO-ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION FOR STAMFORD HOMES LTD Project No: S6/005 Date: March 2006 Prepared for: Mr C Wynne-Williams Stamford Homes Ltd Ashurst Southgate Park Bakewell Road Orton Southgate Peterborough PE2 6YS Prepared by: Abatech International Ltd. 4 Park Square Newton Chambers Road Thorncliffe Park Estate Chapeltown Sheffield S35 2PH Tel: 0114 220 3671 Fax: 0114 220 3680 [email protected] http://www.abatech.com Prepared by: Andrew Spooner BSc (Hons) MPhil Senior Environmental Geologist Checked by: Stephen Black BSc (Hons) MSc PhD FGS AIEMA Director Approved by: Chris Madge BSc CEng MICE Managing Director Revision – 0 Registered in England No. 3330809 Stamford Homes Ltd EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 SITE LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION 3.0 GEO-ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 4.0 HISTORY OF LAND USE 5.0 PHASE I GEOTECHNICAL ASSESSMENT 6.0 PHASE I ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 7.0 RATIONALE FOR PHASE II INVESTIGATION 8.0 SITE WORKS 9.0 LABORATORY ANALYSIS 10.0 PHASE II GEOTECHNICAL ASSESSMENT 11.0 PHASE II ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 12.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 13.0 FURTHER WORK INFORMATION SOURCES APPENDICES I Site Location Plan & Site Investigation Plan II Envirocheck Report & Historical OS Plans III Investigation Logs IV Laboratory Chemical and Geotechnical Test Results V Risk Assessment Data Sheets Abatech International Ltd. -i- S6/005 March 2006 Stamford Homes Ltd Executive Summary This presents the salient points of the report and should not be referred to in isolation. All recommendations are subject to Regulatory Authority approval. Site Location, Description & Location: The site is located off South Road, within the small History market town of Bourne, Lincolnshire at NGR 509600mE, 319700mN (approximate site centre), about 22km north-west of Peterborough city centre. Description: The site occupies an irregular shaped parcel of land, which comprises three distinct areas, the combined overall size being approximately 2.7 ha (about 7 Acres): - an area of mixed surfacing towards the north-eastern end of the site which allows access to the ‘Jewson’ builders merchant outlet, buildings associated with the ‘Head Start’ day nursery and the ‘Wherry’ site beyond; - the ‘Wherry’ site, which largely consists of tarmac hardstanding, office space and the main processing/warehouse complex; - unsurfaced, largely derelict and overgrown land to the far south-western end of the site, which is also part of the main ‘Wherry’ operational area. The eastern area comprises a mixture of tarmac hardstanding and hardcore carparking, soft landscaping and the existing day nursery buildings. The eastern-most building was observed to be of portal frame and brick construction with a pitched corrugated metal and glass roof. The second day nursery building, situated further into the site appeared to occupy part of the former railway station building, and was of brick construction with a slate roof. Tarmac carparking and soft landscaped garden/play areas were observed to be associated with the property. The main ‘operational area’, which occupies the central part of the site was accessed via the weighbridge. Tarmac hardstanding covers the majority of the operational area, with the exception of an area immediately to the north-west of the weighbridge, where part of the former railway station building was recently demolished. This area comprises cobbles and hardcore (used to infill pits and create a workable surface for heavy goods vehicles). Formal landscaping borders the majority of the southern site boundary. The processing plant (for the shelling and processing of peas and other pulses) and warehouses are located towards the north-west and were of portal frame construction with a concrete ground- slab. At least two thirds of the building was given over to storage, whilst loading and unloading hoppers as well as the main machinery were located in the western third of the building. To the west of the processing plant there is an above-ground diesel storage tank (AST) and an electricity transformer. Localised staining was observed on the ground at this location. Beyond the AST tarmac hardstanding was used to provide vehicular access to the plant and for the storage of articulated trailer units. Against the north-western boundary many pieces of derelict machinery and other scrap metal items were observed. In the far south-west of the site the ground was unsurfaced and comprised rough, overgrown scrub with many poor quality trees. Abatech International Ltd. -ii- S6/005 March 2006 Stamford Homes Ltd Soft, boggy ground was observed at this location. The southern boundary to the site comprises a mixture of mature cypress trees and wooden panel fencing along two thirds of the boundary, beyond which lies a residential housing estate. The remainder of the boundary borders pasture, which lies beyond poor quality trees and a wooden fence. To the east is South Road. Palisade fencing and the ‘Jewson’ site borders the northern boundary at this location, although the remainder of the northern/north-western boundary is formed largely by trees and a post and wire fence, beyond which lies pasture and the grounds of Red Hall. History: The Historical Ordnance Survey plans dating back to 1888 indicate that the site has been occupied by railway land, comprising Bourne Station and its associated marshalling yards. Anecdotal evidence indicates that livestock and other agricultural produce, coal and other materials were transported into Bourne Station. With the exception of expansion to the railway infrastructure, no significant change to the usage of the site is shown until the 1969 OS plan, whic h indicates that the railway had been dismantled. From 1969 a granary is shown to be present towards the centre of the site, with a coal yard adjacent to the south-eastern boundary. Immediately adjacent to the site is a saw mill (to the south) and a buil der’s yard and fire station to the north. Agricultural land surrounds the remainder of the site. From at least 1978, buildings at the site are shown to be in positions similar to those at present, although expansion of the works has occurred. Two buildings, shown on the 1989 plan as warehouses, are currently occupied by the day nursery and Jewson. No significant change to the layout of the site is shown to the current 2000 OS plan. Geology & Mining, Geology & Mining: The site is shown on BGS Sheet 143, Hydrogeology and Bourne, Drift Edition (1:50,000 scale series) to be underlain by Hydrology strata of the Jurassic age (Oxford Clay). The base of the Oxford Clay is reported to comprise the Kellaways Sand and the Kellaways Clay, which may be present locally/discontinuously in the area and on the site. The Cornbrash (limestone) may also be present locally at shallow depth. The solid strata are indicated to dip gently towards the east/south-east. No drift deposits are reported to underlie the site, although glacial deposits are reported to be ‘sporadic’ within the South Kesteven district, and may therefore be present at the site. From a review of available geological information, the site lies in an area which is unlikely to be affected by shallow mining activity. Risk from broken or voided ground is therefore not expected. There are also no faults or lines of weakness shown to be on, or within the vicinity of the site. Hydrogeology: The site is shown on the groundwater vulnerability map for the area (Sheet 24, Northamptonshire, Scale 1:100,000) to be situated on a non-aquifer, with overlying soils of negligible permeability. Hydrology: The nearest surface watercourse is Bourne Eau, which lies approximately 30m to the north/north-east of the site. Abatech International Ltd. -iii- S6/005 March 2006 Stamford Homes Ltd Floodplains: Information provided by the Environment Agency and that contained in the Envirocheck report indicates that the site does not lie in an area which is at risk from flooding. Environmental Data Waste Management: Based on information given in the Summary Envirocheck report, there appears to be one active waste management facility within 500m of the site. This is reported to be a household/commercial and industrial transfer station located on Manning Road, being licensed to Anglian Water Services Ltd. Between 500m and 1km there are a further fourteen licensed waste management facilities, waste transfer stations, local authority recorded landfill/registered landfill or waste transfer/disposal sites. Of these, some may still be active or have had their license revoked/surrendered. The location of these sites are however unlikely to have affected the site, or present a risk to future development. Pollution Incidents: There are twelve pollution incidents to controlled waters within 500m of the site and a further twenty- nine incidents between 500m and 1km of the site. The majority of the incidents less than 500m of the site are reported to be Category 3, minor incidents, involving the release of natural (miscellaneous) pollutants, or small releases of oil/chemicals, although there are a number of Category 2, significant incidents, involving the release of cattle slurry, oils and unknown pollutants. The receiving water in most instances is reported to be Bourne Eau, or a tributary of it. Between 500m and 1km of the site, the pollution incidents are reported to be principally Category 3, involving the release of pollutants including miscellaneous substances, unknown pollutants, surface run-off, oils and cattle slurry. A number of Category 2 incidents are also reported, principally involving the release of unknown materials, oils or sewage. These incidents are however unlikely to have affected the site, or present a risk to future development. Discharge Consents: There are three discharge consents within 500m of the site and an additional thirteen recorded within 1km of the site. The type of discharge these consents are for is unknown, although it appears the discharge is to land rather than to surface water.