Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy 2024 to 2029

Characteristics

Divided by the river Tees that runs east to west, the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees is situated in the north east of England. Covering an area of 20,400 hectares, it has a population of 178,000 with 75,000 dwellings the population density being 8.7 persons per hectare.

Stockton, with population of 82,500, is the main town with Thornaby (24,000) to the south and Billingham (35,000), dominated by the former ICI industrial complex, to the north. Around the river mouth, the reclaimed Seal Sands area is dominated by the chemical industry; in this area there are some protected areas for nature conservation. These include a National Nature Reserve [NNR], a Special Protection Area [SPA], RAMSAR site and three Sites of Special Scientific Interest [SSSI].

There are a number of small villages in the on the outskirts of the borough.

A large proportion (62.5 %) of the properties in the borough have gardens.

Historic and built environment

The borough has a history of mineral extraction, brick and tile manufacture, iron and steel manufacturing, shipbuilding, engineering works and chemical works.

This is evidenced by its archaeological remains and historic buildings. The Tees Archaeology Historic Environment Record (HER) is a database of heritage assets in Hartlepool and Stockton managed by Tees Archaeology. It includes archaeological sites and standing remains dating from the prehistoric and Roman periods through Anglo-Saxon and medieval periods, to post-medieval and industrial remains. The earlier sites in the borough are complemented by more recent heritage, such as the new town of Billingham, founded around ICI in the early 1920s and the latter 20th century oil and chemical industry based at Seal Sands.

The borough owes its origins to the River Tees, a feature whose economic prominence is gradually being restored. Previously a tidal river, a Barrage, completed at the end of 1994, now maintains its height at, more or less, high tide level.

Stockton contains 8 Scheduled Monuments which are afforded protection by Part 2A. Scheduled Monuments are protected by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Listed buildings, also of national importance, are protected by the Planning Act 1990. Non-designated above and below-ground heritage assets (identified in the HER) are protected by policies in the Stockton Local Plan.

Geological and hydro geological characteristics

The geology of the area shows predominantly Sherwood Sandstone (in the central area, which is an aquifer), Mercia Mudstone (to the east, which is a non-aquifer) and Permian Upper Marls (to the west, which is a non-aquifer). A dolerite dyke, known as the Cleveland Dyke, runs approximately NW to SE.

The solid geology is overlaid with drift deposits of boulder clay, laminated clay, littoral sand and glacial sand and gravel.

Within the borough, there are only two principal water abstraction points where the water is used for drinking purposes or food use (one in Stillington and one at United Biscuits at Billingham). The EA has identified one Source Protection Zone [SPZ] for the drinking water abstraction source. In addition there are several groundwater and surface water abstractions in the area.

Ground vulnerability maps indicate that most of the area has low permeability drift deposits which overlay the aquifers.