In short, the Phase 1 objective is to identify risks and put them into context (if they exist). So, by far the most important element of your Phase 1 report is the delivery of a simple yet robust description of risks at your site in a format referred to as a Conceptual Site Model or CSM.
Depending on the specific nature of the site and what the desk study finds, the CSM might be presented as a table or as a diagram, or both. What you are looking for is a clear, concise description of the findings and for these to be put into context, click on the following images for examples of how a CSM might look.
You might be provided with a series of photographs and historic maps, annotated to present risk areas and then a table providing an assessment of those risks, while the example below does not include a risk ranking, you might also be provided with a rank of low to high risk:
To put things into context you may also be presented with a model of your site, usually a simple, not to scale illustration just to help set the stall for any future investigations, like this one:
The detail in the CSM becomes that bit more critical when a site is found to have environmental issues needing further investigation, which will be outlined in the upcoming blogs and available on our soon to be published eBooks: “Everything you wanted to know about Phase 1 Site Investigations, but were afraid to ask” and “Everything you wanted to know about Phase 2 Site Investigations, but were afraid to ask”.
We’re happy to talk so feel free to contact us on 0800 0209 307 or e-mail us on info@soilutions.co.uk. While we finish our eBooks on Phase 1 and Phase 2 Investigations, why not check out these related blogs:
What is a Phase 1 Environmental Investigation?
Do I need a Phase 1 Environmental Site Investigation
2021
Phase 1 Desk Studies / Preliminary Risk Assessments
Do you want an insight on Phase 1 Desk Studies / Preliminary Risk Assessments for Contaminated Land? This eBook has been written specifically for those new to contaminated land and provides an overview for the uninitiated of what steps you need to follow.