You are here: 11.0 Land Use and Ecology > LE 01 Site selection

LE 01 Site selection

Number of credits available	Minimum standards
2	No

Aim

To encourage the use of previously occupied and/or contaminated land and avoid land which has not been previously disturbed.

Assessment criteria

This issue is split into two parts:

Previously occupied land (1 credit)
Contaminated land (1 credit)

The following is required to demonstrate compliance:

One credit - Previously occupied land

At least 75% of the proposed development’s footprint is on an area of land which has previously been occupied (see definition in the Additional information section).

One credit - Contaminated land

A contaminated land professional's site investigation, risk assessment and appraisal has deemed land within the site to be affected by contamination. The site investigation, risk assessment and appraisal have identified:
1. The degree of contamination
2. The contaminant sources/types
3. The options for remediating sources of contamination which present an unacceptable risk.
The client or principal contractor confirms that remediation of the site will be carried out in accordance with the remediation strategy and its implementation plan as recommended by the contaminated land professional.

Checklists and tables

None.

Compliance notes

Ref	Terms	Description
Shell and core
CN1	Applicable assessment criteria	Both options: All criteria relevant to the building type and function apply. Refer to Appendix D – BREEAM UK New Construction and Shell and Core Project Assessments for a more detailed description of the above shell and core assessment options.
Simple buildings
CN2	Applicable assessment criteria	All criteria relevant to the building type and function apply.
General
CN3	Temporary works See criterion 1.	Undeveloped areas of the site to be used for temporary works (e.g. temporary offices/parking, material/machinery storage) must be considered as development on undeveloped land and therefore included in the calculations unless they have been defined as ‘land of low ecological value’ (LE 02 Ecological value of site and protection of ecological features).
CN3.1	Infill development See criterion 1.	New buildings developed within the boundary of existing sites do not automatically comply with the reuse of land criteria. At least 75% of the land on which the new building will be sited must meet the definition of 'previously occupied' (for prisons, refer to the building type specific compliance note below).
CN3.2	Prior decontamination See criteria 2 and 3.	The credit for use of contaminated land can only be awarded where remediation has taken place to enable development of the site for the assessed building, or a larger phased development that includes the assessed building (see below). The credit is not achievable for instances where historical remediation and development of the site has occurred outside the scope of the current development proposals.
CN3.3	Large sites split into smaller plots See criteria 2 and 3.	Where contamination of a large site has been remediated and has then been packaged up into smaller plots of land for individual buildings (possibly as part of a phased development strategy), the credit can be awarded regardless of the plot location of the assessed building within the wider development plan. This is on the condition that the site could not have been developed without remediation work taking place.
CN3.4	Health and safety related decontamination See criteria 2 and 3.	Contaminated land that has been decontaminated solely for health and safety reasons (rather than for the specific purpose of re-development) does not comply.
CN3.5	Asbestos See criteria 2 and 3.	Where the only remediation required is the removal of asbestos within an existing building fabric, the site cannot be classified as contaminated land. However, where asbestos is found to be present in the ground this will be classed as contamination for the purposes of assessing this issue.
Building specific
CN4	Education (schools only) Playing fields See criterion 1.	Development of a playing field within the construction zone can be counted as development on previously occupied land only if an equivalent area of playing field is reinstated within one year of the completed construction works; and where such reinstatement will not encroach on land of high ecological value as defined in BREEAM issue LE 02 Ecological value of site and protection of ecological features
CN4.1	Prisons See criterion 1.	All land within a secure perimeter fence on an existing prison sites can be classified as previously occupied land. Therefore assessments of buildings located within this area will achieve the credit. If the secure perimeter fence of a prison is being extended to accommodate the proposed building, or the proposed building is located on a completely new site, then the building must comply with the assessment criteria defined above.

Methodology

None.

Evidence

Criteria	Interim design stage	Final post construction stage
All	One or more of the appropriate evidence types listed in The BREEAM evidential requirements section can be used to demonstrate compliance with these criteria.
3	A copy of the remediation strategy and implementation plan	As per interim design stage

Additional information

Relevant definitions

Construction zone

Refer to BREEAM issue Mat 02 Hard landscaping and boundary protection

Contaminated land professional

An individual that holds a degree or equivalent qualification in chemistry, environmental science/management, earth sciences, civil engineering or a related subject, and has a minimum of three years relevant experience (within the last five years) in site investigation, risk assessment and appraisal. Such experience must clearly demonstrate a practical knowledge of site investigation methodologies and understanding of remediation techniques and national legislation on the subject; as well as acting in an advisory capacity to provide recommendations for remediation.

Land affected by contamination

Land that could not be legally or safely developed/built on to the proposed end use without the remediation of contamination. Contamination is defined as any substance or agent in, or on the ground within the construction zone, which presents an unacceptable risk to human health, property and/or the environment. For the purposes of BREEAM, substances or agents that could present unacceptable contamination risks are defined as those that act as a barrier to the development of land, which could include certain plant species such as, but not limited to, Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed.

Previously occupied land

For the purposes of this issue BREEAM defines previously occupied land as that which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including any associated fixed surface infrastructure (the definition is based on the National Planning Policy Framework definition of Previously Developed Land).
The definition excludes:

Land that is or has been occupied by agricultural or forestry buildings.
Land that has been developed for minerals extraction or waste disposal by landfill purposes where provision for restoration has been made through development control procedures.
Land inbuilt-up areas such as parks, recreation grounds and allotments which, although they may feature paths, pavilions and other buildings, have not been previously occupied.
Land that was previously occupied but where the remains of the permanent structure or fixed surface structure have blended into the landscape in the process of time (to the extent that it can reasonably be considered as part of the natural surroundings), typically over a period of more than fifty years.

Proposed development

Any development (building, hard landscaping, car park and access roads) that falls within the boundary of the assessed site.

Remediation

Any activity undertaken to prevent, minimise, remedy or mitigate the risk caused by contaminated land to human health, the environment or local resources such as sources of potable water.

Other information

None.