Technical due diligence for development sites

By 'technical due diligence' we are referring to the process of investigating a site to assess its suitability for a particular project and the risks involved before proceeding with that project. A due diligence checklist is presented below, providing a list of some of the aspects of a site and its context that it may be necessary to investigate.

[edit] Site information

• Site address (including post code).
• Site location map.
• Contact details for neighbours.
• Access assessment and arrangements.
• Site logistics assessment.
• Site security.

[edit] Legal searches

• Deeds and title Information.
• Ownership (including boundaries and possible disputes).
• Central and local government planned works within the vicinity of the site.
• Possible compulsory purchase orders.
• Part wall appraisals and surveys.
• Rights of light appraisals and surveys.
• Way leave agreements (telecommunications, electrical networks etc ).
• Existing licences.
• Easements (rights of way, right to light, the right for underground services to pass beneath the land of a neighbouring property, right of support, the right to draw water etc).
• Restricted covenants.
• Tree Preservation Orders or other tree rights.
• Listed buildings.
• Conservation areas, or other designated areas (such as national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads).
• Schedules monuments.
• Building regulations approvals.
• Statutory waterways and any associated restrictions.
• Railways and any associated restrictions.
• On site adverts.
• Civil Aviation Authority restrictions.
• Car parking licences and agreements.
• Existing occupants and illegal occupation.

[edit] Surveys

• Topographical survey.
• Existing building survey (including valuation, measured surveys, structural surveys, structural investigations, condition surveys and demolition surveys).
• Historic use report.
• Site investigations.
• Contamination survey.
• Boundary surveys.
• Structural survey (including retained structures, underground structures and obstructions).
• Unexploded bomb survey.
• Railway and tunnel search.
• Air quality.
• Archaeological survey.
• Asbestos and other deleterious materials surveys and registers.
• Local area transport infrastructure (adequacy and future use).
• Ecology survey.
• Local climate.
• Photographic survey.

[edit] Site services

• Fire hydrants.
• Telecommunications.
• Wireless networks and satellite reception.
• Electrical infrastructure and capacity.
• Gas network infrastructure and capacity.
• Foul sewers and drains infrastructure and capacity.
• Existing water supply infrastructure and capacity.

[edit] Planning

• Planning applications and approvals for the site and within the vicinity of the site, including conditions and obligations (agreed or in draft).
• Social and economic desktop study.
• Access statement.
• Statement of community involvement.
• Cumulative impact report.
• Visual impact assessment.
• Sustainability statement.
• Heritage report.
• Traffic assessment.
• Flood risk.
• Air quality.
• Acoustic environment and noise.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Applying for new postal addresses.
• Caveat emptor.
• Condition survey.
• Contaminated land.
• Deleterious materials
• Demolition.
• Development appraisal.
• Due diligence.
• Easements.
• Ecological survey.
• Environmental Impact Assessment.
• Feasibility studies.
• Ground conditions.
• Japanese knotweed.
• Lawful development certificate.
• Planning permission
• Pre construction information.
• Rights of way.
• Site appraisals.
• Site information.
• Site selection and acquisition.
• Site surveys.
• Soil survey.
• Tree preservation orders.
• Tree rights.
• Vendor survey.

[edit] External references

• RICS Best Practice & Guidance Note for Technical Due Diligence of Commercial, Industrial & Residential Property in Continental Europe.