Phase I (Phase one) and Phase II (Phase two) are standard terms within the environmental and geotechnical consulting sectors, indicating investigations at two increasing levels of detail. The Phase I product involves a site inspection audit and desktop assessment. It is often requested for more complex sites or as a starting point for the due diligence for some institutions. The Phase II involves on-site soil and/or underground water analysis to quantify the degree of contamination at a site. This report is generally only used where circumstances and the results of the Phase I indicate its necessity.
Phase I (Commercial)
The Renaissance Phase I Commercial report fits in with standard industry expectations comprising a thorough desktop assessment using the best available Landmark data and large scale mapping resources. This is then followed by an enquiry with the regulator and the Environment Agency (if pertinent) to assess the likelihood of regulatory intervention or scrutiny. The final element of the assessment is a site visit and interview with the manager or owner of the site to examine ongoing operational practices and identify environmental hazards and deviations from best practice.
A commercial Phase I assessment should give a clear indication of the site's suitability for the intended use and show any causes for concern that affect the site. The recommendations will indicate if any further work is required and show if any modifications to environmental management policy are needed.
The Phase I Assessment is available from £850 plus VAT. The price is dependent on any requirement from the regulator to pay for information, the size and complexity of the subject property, and according to the travel disbursements required to conduct the site visit.
Phase I (Agricultural)
The Agricultural Phase I report fulfils the same requirements as the standard commercial Phase I, but with additional elements appropriate to farming legislation and practices. For example the desktop assessment will comment on the likelihood of environmental impact on crop yield and water resources on and around the farm and also attempt to identify any rights of way which may affect the property. The site inspection element of the assessment will clarify these potential risks and find if they are being realised at the farm. It will also address other relevant issues such as the disposal and storage of waste and oil, examination of filled land areas, burning of waste and the scrutiny of water courses.
The legislation affecting farms has recently come of age after years of exemption from standard Environmental Protection regulations. For the first time, the need for proper and considered due diligence and qualification of inherited liability for farming businesses outweighs the cost of undertaking such an assessment.
The Phase I Assessment for agricultural properties is available from £850 plus VAT. In the past even a desktop assessment for modest size farms has cost in excess of this figure. In recognition of the need for this product we are able to offer the Phase I at a very competitive price. The price is dependent on farm size and location, but will generally not increase significantly until the area of land increases above roughly 300 Acres.
Phase II Site Investigation
An intrusive, soil sampling investigation (Phase II) may be required for many reasons: planning conditions for development, transactional risk, known losses or operational license requirements. Whether recommended in the Renaissance due diligence reports or required for other reasons, we can ensure the relevant information is gathered and the right assessment completed to achieve the desired results.
It is important that a Phase II investigation is properly designed and executed, as a poor investigation can not only be a failure but can also increase the problems at a site. An example of this is unintentionally enabling contamination from contained pockets to migrate off the site and cause harm. Renaissance staff have great experience in designing, supervising and interpreting Phase II investigations. We will therefore ensure that every investigation is sufficient for the situation without incurring unnecessary cost.
A Phase II report will usually conclude either that the site is suitable for the intended purpose (no further work is necessary), or that the conditions encountered require further justification or remediation (removal or reduction of contamination). We will assist you through the whole process, until the regulators are satisfied and the property can be declared suitable for the intended use.
Renaissance has carried out Phase II investigations for as little as £700 plus VAT (indicative residential investigation), but prices usually start from approximately £3,000. There is normally an appreciable amount of work required to give a binding quote for each property, so initially only indicative quotes will be given. A firm quote can be prepared once we have been given an indication that a Phase II is required.
