EP creates NW brownfield study forum

English Partnerships has launched the North West Brownfield Regeneration Forum to offer free seminars and training for property professionals working with brownfield sites.

The forum will be run by EP and Envirolink Northwest, with help from local authorities and consultants.

Dr Richard Boyle, brownfield technical consultant at English Partnerships, said: "The North West has a large quantity of brownfield land, some of which has very challenging problems which need to be overcome in bringing it back into beneficial use. Although much work has been done to regenerate this land, by many excellent organisations, there is always more we can do to increase our skills and training opportunities in the region.

"We want to address this issue with the North West Brownfield Regeneration Forum. We are presenting a very interesting schedule of topics, with some first class speakers who we are very grateful to for giving up their time."

Topics to be considered by the forum will include site investigation, risk assessment and remediation, all aspects of waste, consultation and stakeholder involvement. Initial Forum meetings will be in the evenings, whilst in 2009 the programme will diversify to provide a combination of evening, half day and all day seminars.

The initial programme of evening seminars is as follows:

• 17:30 to 20:00, Tuesday 7 October 2008 – New Developments in the Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) Model with Ian Martin, a principal scientist in the human health science team at the Environment Agency looking at understanding human exposure to soil contaminants. This seminar will be amongst the first chances to hear new insights into CLEA, including the revised CLR9 and CLR10 documents, and ask pertinent questions from one of the key figures involved in its preparation. Venue: The University of Manchester's Renold Building, Sackville Street, Manchester.
• 17:30 to 20:00, Tuesday 11 November 2008 – Statistical Analysis of Sampling Data with Dr Mary Harris, MRH Consulting on how to avoid common pitfalls in applying the joint new guidance by CL:AIRE and CIEH "Guidance on Comparing Soil Contamination Data with a Critical Concentration". Venue: The Centre conference centre at Birchwood Park, Warrington.
• Interested parties should email NWBRForum@envirolinknorthwest.co.uk