Why the closure team needs the factory drainage information
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Give closure advisers the available drainage information before they assess work that could affect the site. Record the drawing's date and what is known about its accuracy. Historic alterations may not appear on the version kept in the office.
The Environment Agency and Defra pollution-prevention guidance, which applies to England, explains why a drainage plan matters and identifies the need to investigate unknown drainage arrangements. Ask the appropriate environmental specialist how to establish the information for your site.
This guide concerns records and the enquiry brief. It does not authorise discharge, cleaning, opening covers, entering drains or carrying out tests.
Match each record to a question
Prepare a document list with the version, source and limits of what it shows. Avoid marking an old plan "current" merely because nobody has found a newer one.
| Available information | Question for the assessment team |
|---|---|
| Process drainage drawings | Which activities and connections do they actually cover? |
| Surface-water records | What routes and destinations are established, and what remains uncertain? |
| Containment or storage-area drawings | Do they match the alterations and current use known to the business? |
| Survey and maintenance reports | What was inspected, when, and what recommendations remain unresolved? |
| Discharge permissions and correspondence | Which activities and conditions do the actual documents address? |
These questions do not form a technical survey specification. Let the competent team identify the required scope and arrangements.
Explain the history behind the plan
Connect the records to the process-history brief. A former cleaning area, relocated process or extended building may be relevant even if the equipment has already gone.
Record recollections separately. For example, "an employee recalls a change near the rear bay" should remain an unverified statement until the appropriate evidence or assessment supports it. Do not add a connection to the plan based on that recollection alone.
Make missing documents visible and identify who is looking for them. If the owner does not know a route, the brief should say so. Guessing creates a misleading starting point for the assessment.
Keep proposed work connected to the evidence
Give the responsible team the process-material register where relevant. Known contents and unresolved residues may affect what the specialists need to consider, but the owner should not infer a handling method.
For a permitted installation in England, ask the environmental adviser how drainage information relates to the site condition evidence. The drawing alone is not proof of condition or permission to surrender a permit.
Explain relevant project restrictions when discussing sale and clearance with UK Auction Group. Keep unresolved technical information within the coordinated closure brief, so commercial dates reflect the assessment still needed.
More owner preparation guides appear in the manufacturing site closure hub.
Sources
This guide is general information and education only. Legal, tax, employment and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser who knows your situation. Read the disclaimer.