UK Resilience
Last updated: 28 October 2008
On 11 September 2001, following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, 1.6 million tonnes of building debris was created as a result of the collapse of the Twin Towers. Whilst, in the UK, the incidents requiring site clearance have been smaller in scale, each has presented particular challenges and confirmed the need for effective planning and preparation.
So as part of the Government’s Civil Contingencies Capabilities Programme, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, now Communities and Local Government (CLG), in co-operation with the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), has been responsible for encouraging site clearance planning across England and Wales.
The main source of (non-statutory) guidance on site clearance is a document published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in October 2005 - Guidance on development of a site clearance capability in England and Wales [External website]
No differences for Wales. The guidance on site clearance, referred to above, was published in partnership between ODPM and the Welsh Assembly Government on an England and Wales basis.
The Scottish Government has produced guidance as part of 'Preparing Scotland'.
In Northern Ireland, there is in production a joint protocol to co-ordinate an efficient road clearance response - Co-ordination of Road Clearance Activities in Response to a Major Incident or Public Disorder.
During the early phases of an incident, the Police and the Fire and Rescue Service will take responsibility for commissioning site clearance activity where necessary for the conduct of search and rescue activities. They will do so in close co-operation with other responders and contractors. During the recovery phase, lead responsibility will normally pass to Local Authorities operating in close co-operation with site owners, insurers and contractors. For full details of organisational roles during site clearance, please refer to Annex A – Key Roles and Responsibilities in Guidance on development of a site clearance capability in England and Wales [External website]
Where national input or assistance is required on incidents requiring site clearance, nomination of a Lead Government Department will reflect the nature and cause of the incident. For full details of the Lead Government Department role during site clearance, please refer to Annex A – Key Roles and Responsibilities in Guidance on development of a site clearance capability in England and Wales [External website]
The Regional Resilience Team in the relevant Government Office will provide the conduit for communication with the nominated Lead Government Department.
A number of other government organisations may have a role to play during a site clearance operation. These include DEFRA, the Government Decontamination Service (GDS), BERR, DfT, the Environment Agency (EA) and Government Offices. For full details of their roles during site clearance, please refer to Annex A – Key Roles and Responsibilities in Guidance on development of a site clearance capability in England and Wales [External website]
In Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government will lead in areas of devolved responsibility, and will act as a conduit with the nominated UK Government Department where the lead is not devolved.
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Strategic co-ordination arrangements in Northern Ireland are defined within Annex D of ‘A Guide to Emergency Planning Arrangements in Northern Ireland’ [External PDF]
In the case of accidental or malicious damage, the costs of site clearance would normally fall on the party responsible for causing the damage. In the case of damage through natural causes, responsibility for costs would normally be expected to rest with the owner or occupier of a property. For further information on funding of site clearance, including following terrorist incidents, refer to Chapter 4 – Meeting the Cost of Site Clearance in Guidance on development of a site clearance capability in England and Wales [External website]
No differences for Wales.
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District Councils in Northern Ireland are able to apply for funding from the Dept of the Environment in certain circumstances - ‘Schemes of Emergency Financial Assistance to District Councils’ [External PDF]
In the event of a major emergency affecting numerous properties in the same area, a large number of insurers are likely to be involved. For more guidance on how to deal with this situation, please refer to the topic sheet:
and Chapter 4 – Meeting the Cost of Site Clearance in Guidance on development of a site clearance capability in England and Wales[External website]
The following topic sheets may also be relevant to incidents involving site clearance:
The following is not intended to be an exhaustive list, as the potential range of contractors and other sources of advice/expertise required in the event of an emergency requiring site clearance is very wide and ideally, should be considered during the process of developing plans for dealing with such emergencies.
General enquiries: Cabinet Office, 22 Whitehall, London SW1A 2WH.
Contact: via feedback form.
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