RSK provides a comprehensive range of brownfield development services including site assessment, planning, remediation, construction, and validation. They help clients evaluate sites, navigate the development process, and maximize financial returns. RSK has expertise in contaminated land, engineering, and environmental management and works closely with clients throughout a project to reduce costs and risks.

1. MAXIMISING THE VALUE OF
BROWNFIELD DEVELOPMENTS
www.rsk.co.uk

2. RSK PROPERTY SERVICES ENCOMPASSING
THE LIFE OF ANY DEVELOPMENT
PRE-ACQUISITION PLANNING AND PERMITTING DETAILED ENGINEERING, DESIGN REMEDIATION CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION VALIDATION
Site assessment Initial appraisal of costs and liabilities, BREEAM
pre-assessments, renewable energy options, topographic
and geophysical surveys and utilities mapping
Detailed investigations, risk assessments, effective
remediation designs, BREEAM design-stage
assessments
Development of remediation specifications and
contracts, BREEAM assessments and advice
Design and supervision of works Foundation and infrastructure designs, development
and progress inspection, post-completion review
assessments for BREEAM
Statutory approvals and sign-off
Legislative and regulatory support Identification of regulatory constraints and
requirements
Liaison with regulatory bodies, permit application Site waste and materials management plans,
obtaining licences
Waste and resource management exemptions
and mobile treatment permitting
SWMP, CL:AIRE code of practice, WRAP protocoal,
waste and resources management, water consents
Statutory approvals and sign-off, permit surrender,
CL:AIRE verification and validation, SWMP review
Environmental impact assessment Identification of show-stoppers Consultation and scoping studies leading to full
environmental impact assessments (EIA) if required,
ecological and archaeological surveys
Development of environmental management plans
(EMP), etc.
Environmental management training Site supervision to ensure compliance with EMP
and licence conditions, 24-hour incident and
advice line
Monitoring if required
Landscape and visual appraisal Identification of landscape and visual constraints Development impact assessments, mitigation
option recommendations
Design of mitigation measures with client’s design
team
Designs and specifications for enabling work Designs and specifications for construction Site inspection of work, issue of construction
contract certificates
Engineering Assessment of abnormal development costs Outline engineering, designs, flood risk
assessments, drainage studies
Detailed design for infrastructure and structures,
demolition specifications, foundation designs,
engineering materials consultancy
Earthworks modelling, demolition supervision,
regulatory approvals
Engineering supervision, regulatory approvals,
adoption agreements
Coordination with design, earthworks regrading,
regulatory approvals, concrete and materials testing
Health and safety management Hazard workshops, behaviour-based health and safety
services
Hazard workshops, CDM consultancy, health and
safety advice
Design risk assessments, CDM consultancy, contractor
competence assessments
CDM consultancy, contractor audits CDM consultancy, contractor audits Health and safety performance reviews
Remediation Initial remediation options appraisal Support in evaluating cost-effective solutions Detailed design, permit applications Implementation of contracts Engineering designs for site development Contract validation
Asbestos Initial and pre-demolition asbestos surveys Asbestos surveys for buildings and soil Development of asbestos management plans Control of asbestos removal in buildings and soil Project management of asbestos removal Post-project and closeout reports
Acoustics and noise control Identification of requirements, risks and
consultation
Impact assessment, mitigation strategy and
compliance for BREEAM credits
Building acoustic insulation and mitigation design Environmental management plan, compliance
noise monitoring
Environmental management plan, compliance noise
monitoring
Post-construction testing for compliance and
BREEAM credits
Stakeholder engagement and
community consultation
Stakeholder identification and mapping (desk-based
research), engagement with statutory stakeholders,
managing opposition risks
Consultation strategy development, rolling out
consultation programme, public exhibitions,
facilitated sessions, consultation reports
Consultation strategy development, rolling out
consultation programmes, public exhibitions, facilitated
sessions, consultation reports
Ongoing stakeholder engagement and
community consultation
Proactive media coverage, appraisal of stakeholder
commitments

3. RSK WILL WORK WITH YOU TO HELP YOU APPRAISE SITES AND THEN GET THE BEST VALUE FROM
YOUR INVESTMENT THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
Streamline the development process
Obtaining the best return from any brownfield site demands a
comprehensive understanding of the site’s potential and the risks
associated with all stages of its development – from initial pre-acquisition
surveys and site assessment, through planning, design and construction,
to post-project environmental management and validation.
RSK tailors its services to reflect all the issues that require consideration.
Our teams of specialists work closely with developers and help them
to negotiate the best deals on the purchase of brownfield sites; advise
them on planning and social issues; implement land remediation
programmes; manage health, safety and environment (HSE) issues
during construction; and assist with sustainable design solutions.
According to our customers, having access to this umbrella of services
cuts their management time and costs, streamlines the development
process and improves their return on investment.
Pre-acquisition
Years of experience on all kinds of brownfield developments
mean that we can help you to evaluate land values accurately by
determining remediation costs and liabilities, and by identifying
engineering abnormalities and environmental show-stoppers.
We utilise our in-house drilling, geophysical survey and utilities clearance
teams. We provide asbestos surveys on sites before demolition, and also
undertake site investigations into asbestos contamination of soil and
demolition waste. Vital soil samples are rapidly evaluated by our sister
company Envirolab, one of the UK’s few laboratories to hold UKAS and
MCerts accreditation for most types of soil and chemical testing.
Together with its specialist in-house communication team, RSK
can offer a complete stakeholder engagement and community
consultation service. RSK advises various industries on a range of
corporate responsibility issues. We are expert at managing community–
stakeholder relationships and at facilitating consultation and community
involvement so as to minimise the public opposition to a development.
RSK won the 2011 Brownfield Briefing award for Best Public
Participation for its remediation project at St Mary’s Park in
Maidenhead, UK. This is the third Brownfield Briefing award that
RSK has won, having won in the Best Use of a Single Remediation
Technique category in 2010 and the Best Conceptual Design in 2007.
Planning and permitting
We are widely acknowledged for our ability to handle planning and
permitting issues, and in helping developers to avoid or overcome
many of the challenges that planning legislation can present. Our
work in these areas includes
undertaking a wide range of environmental surveys and impact
assessments, including ecological, noise, air and water
obtaining any statutory licences and consents for protected species
preparing investigation and/or mitigation plans
managing contamination issues arising under the National Planning
Policy Framework
providing a range of industry-recognised planning packages, including
master planning, ecological mitigation and landscape design
formulating, planning and designing low- or zero-carbon projects
providing stakeholder facilitation and communication support.
RSK provides strategic guidance on the emerging policy issues that
are shaping building regulations and planning before they come into
Perception issues,
i.e., waste licensing
or damage to the
environment by
construction activities
Completed
Building
regulation
and other
approvals
Planning
issues
Contamination
Brownfield preparation
Progress
Time
RSK added value
Development
Stakeholder pressure
RSK support minimises risk to keep brownfield development projects on track.
Industry leader
RSK is recognised in the Environmental Analyst’s 2014 Market
Assessment of the UK environmental consulting sector as the
number one consultancy for contaminated land and remediation,
and its experts are influential at the government level. For example,
our specialists have supported the National House Building
Council (NHBC) in the development of its Land Quality Standard.
They are part of the National Land Forum, Society of Brownfield
Risk Assessment (SoBRA), Association of Geotechnical and
Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS) and regional development
forums. Our specialists also contribute to parts of the Building
Regulations and advise on sustainability across a range of legislation.
force. Our company is a leading authority on the sustainability issues
facing the property development sector through its representation on
CIRIA’s environment and sustainability panel.
Staff from RSK are often called as expert witnesses for public inquiries
on environmental issues.
Detailed engineering design
RSK has experts in energy-efficient design, from concept stage
through to delivery. We are engaged as consultants to designers,
developers and contractors across the UK to assist in the provision of
robust, well designed and constructed buildings.
The engineering design service we offer encompasses highway and
drainage elements, including sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and
structural designs for foundations and superstructures. Negotiations
with statutory service authorities for supplies to new developments;
flood risk assessments; and infrastructure master planning to support
planning applications are part of our service.
We promote the sustainable use of materials by developing site waste
management plans (SWMP) and materials management strategies. We
have helped in the development of the CL:AIRE code of practice for
the redefinition of waste soils as materials, for example.
A COMPREHENSIVE BROWNFIELD DEVELOPMENT SERVICE FROM THE UK’S
LEADING CONTAMINATED LAND AND REMEDIATION CONSULTANCY*
*Environment Analyst 2014

4. Remediation contracting
Remediation plans and engineering designs are inextricably
linked. We coordinate the elements of remediation schemes with
foundation and infrastructure design, and take responsibility for
determining the most cost-effective and robust route for ensuring a
safe and profitable development.
One of the principal differentiators of RSK’s services to the property
sector is the ability to turn remedial designs into reality. Our
specialist remediation contracting team is expert in the delivery of
bespoke process-based and in situ solutions for a wide variety of
clients. This team has earned a reputation for consistently meeting
budget and programme requirements.
Construction
RSK experts have experience in all aspects of construction design
and health and safety management, including regular management
of HSE issues on-site. We can provide guidance on construction
design and management (CDM) regulations; implementing client
health and safety management systems; delivering behaviour-based
safety training; and undertaking competence assessments and
contractor audits during construction.
We have considerable experience of building fabric performance
(thermal, acoustic and airtightness) and offer comprehensive
services to demonstrate compliance for Parts E and L of the building
regulations. RSK has approved BREEAM assessors, and can provide
authoritative advice relating to cost-effective design solutions to
meet the requisite BREEAM standards. Please note, following a
fundamental review of technical housing standards, the government
has withdrawn the Code for Sustainable Homes, aside from the
management of legacy cases.
Energy audits are also offered for existing buildings to deliver
cost-effective upgrades or enhancements to improve energy or
Energy Performance Certificate ratings. UKAS-accredited verification
services are also provided, including airtightness testing for
residential and commercial buildings, and acoustic testing.
Validation
RSK can remain involved with the development project to provide
continuing validation. Our services include statutory approvals
and sign-off, verification under the CL:AIRE code of practice, site
inspection of work, preparation of works completion reports and
health and safety performance reviews.
Enhancing corporate reputation
There is still value to be had once a development is completed.
RSK helps developers with successful projects to use them to
enhance their business reputation.
Company press officers are given assistance in preparing
project case studies that can be included in corporate
responsibility reports. This helps our customers to improve
their company’s image; offers evidence to planning and other
authorities that they have a sustainable approach to business;
and makes successful tendering on future projects easier.
Our innovative end-to-end solutions are optimised to reduce
environmental risk, shorten the pre-development programme
and, ultimately, minimise development costs. RSK helps to
dispel the myth that remediation can be dangerous to local
residents by openly sharing information throughout the
remediation process with activities such as a manned drop-in
centre, a 24-hour hotline and monthly residents’ meetings.
For further information, please contact
Haydn Keen on +44 (0)1928 726006 or hkeen@rsk.co.uk,
or visit our website at www.rsk.co.uk
M0026_9
Ecological management
Several species of flora and fauna have the potential to impose
onerous constraints and mitigation requirements on developers
if they are present on-site. RSK is skilled at undertaking baseline
surveys and developing survey and mitigation strategies that
minimise these risks. We also undertake surveys for invasive
weeds such as Japanese knotweed and develop biodiversity
management and enhancement plans.
Environmental management
RSK develops environmental management systems and
management plans, and provides a full range of support
services, including training for all levels of staff. We also have
experts in ISO 14001 and offer a 24-hour incident support line.
RSK was ranked the number one contaminated land/
remediation consultancy by Environment Analyst in its 2014
Market Assessment Report (a position also held in 2012 and
2013).
In early 2015, RSK Benelux was awarded Shell’s Q4 2014 Cost
Savings Award after saving the client an estimated $259,090
on a site near Bruges, Belgium. RSK was appointed onto Shell’s
GESS contract in 2010, tasked with reviewing the remedial
action plan and monitoring contamination in anticipation of
the remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater at a
service station. After expanding on the original monitoring
schedule, RSK demonstrated that the residual contamination in
groundwater should not be remediated and was able to close
the project early.
Structural Soils (an RSK company) also won the Ground
Investigation Project of the Year at the 2015 Ground
Engineering Awards for the detailed onshore ground
investigation of the nuclear new-build site at Wylfa Newydd in
Anglesey, North Wales.