We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Derek Geldard
saying something like:

A contact from our office (Admittedly from .NL ) once had an oil tank
in his garden which was removed years ago. Now it seems the law has
changed and a certificate is required to the effect that the land is
not contaminated, no-one will buy the house without a certificate. To
do the testing would involve removing the soil, taking it away and
then they can determine whether the soil they took away is/is not
contaminated. Whatever the outcome the difference in cost is not that
great.

Now if the land is admitted to be contaminated by the LA the owner of
the land can force the local authority to clean up the site at their
expense at a cost comparable to the price of the house.

Obviously, therefore the LA have no interest in doing this, but
neither will they relinquish any power to act in the future should
they get the power, therefore the sale of the house is blighted in
perpetuity.

Jesus, what a load of bureaucratic cock.

I can see the sense in it for old commercial premises, but for a
domestic heating oil tank that's been gone for years, it's absurd.