The Land Forum has today launched the NQMS, with support from both DCLG and DEFRA.
This is a voluntary scheme from 9th January 2017 which enables land contamination documents to be submitted by developers to regulators for development planning bearing an individual Quality Mark, to show that the work has been properly carried out and has followed the correct guidance. The Quality Mark will be accompanied by a Declaration of Document Adequacy that is signed by a Suitably Qualified and Experienced Person (SQP). The SQP is a registered individual who has been assessed as competent under the National Brownfield Skills Framework and will have either undertaken or reviewed the work. A register will be held by CL:AIRE of all documents that have been approved under the scheme along with their unique scheme registration number and details of the relevant SQP.
The objective of the NQMS is to improve the industry standard of reports relating to contaminated land such that they meet necessary technical and regulatory standards. The expectation is that the ‘Quality Mark’ will provide assurance to regulators that contaminated land issues have been adequately addressed and managed with submissions being ‘right first time’ and this will help speed up regulatory decisions.
CGL staff are currently going through the SQP training process so it can provide documents in the near future with a NQMS Quality Mark for clients that require it. Whilst this offers a documented additional level of quality control for contamination related documents, CGL would like to reassure clients that it does not introduce a two tier quality system and that all CGL reports will still be produced the highest quality regardless of whether they are destined to carry a Quality Mark.
Further information on the Land Forum and the NQMS is available from the Scheme Administrator CL:AIRE at www.claire.co.uk/nqms
