Environmental searches and investigations

Environmental searches and investigations aim to provide a qualitative and/or quantitative risk assessment to assess potential impacts to human health, buildings and services, eco-receptors or controlled waters that may result from contamination or the operations of a business.

When are environmental searches and investigations instructed?

Environmental searches and investigations may be instructed for a variety of reasons, including:

  1. to comply with the Law Society's practice notes on contaminated land and flood risk in conveyancing transactions—see Practice Notes: Land contamination—Law Society practice note on contaminated land and Flooding—Law Society practice note on flood risk

  2. as a result of a condition of planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 implemented via the National Planning Policy Framework

  3. to clarify liabilities under a range of regimes and laws, for example:

    1. the contaminated land regime set out in Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA 1990)

    2. the Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) (England) Regulations 2015, SI 2015/810 (EDR England)

    3. the Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) (Wales) Regulations 2009, SI 2009/995 (EDR Wales)

    4. the environmental permitting

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DESNZ launches industry engagement for new Hydrogen Network Code development

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has announced the commencement of industry engagement on the development of a new Hydrogen Network Code (the Code) for hydrogen pipeline networks. Network codes are legal documents forming the basis of arrangements between network owners and users. As set out in the government’s response to the Hydrogen Economic Regulatory Frameworks Consultation, government will lead the development of the Code in partnership with industry and in close collaboration with Ofgem and other relevant stakeholders. DESNZ will host an introductory webinar in April 2026 to outline its proposed engagement approach and the process for developing the first issue of the Code. Industry engagement will take place at two levels: (1) a Code Engagement Forum, open to all Code-relevant stakeholders and intended to provide periodic updates on Code development; and (2) a smaller Code Advisory Group, comprising representatives of interests across hydrogen pipeline networks, with membership determined via an Expression of Interest (EOI) process to be launched during the webinar. The engagement is expected to be relevant to prospective hydrogen producers, transporters, storage providers and offtakers, including industrial users and hydrogen-to-power plants, as well as trade bodies, with further details on selection criteria and Terms of Reference to be provided at the first session.

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