Technical due diligence for development sites
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
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).
- Scheduled 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] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Applying for new postal addresses.
- Building People.
- Caveat emptor.
- Condition.
- Condition Report.
- Condition survey.
- Contaminated land.
- Deleterious materials
- Demolition.
- Development appraisal.
- Due diligence.
- Easements.
- Ecological survey.
- Environmental Impact Assessment.
- Feasibility studies.
- Ground conditions.
- Gross development value.
- 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.
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