If you're hoping to plant veg or keeping animals on a new site, it may be worth considering a few environmental questions
Some correspondents have expressed concern regarding the practice of planting "edibles" on land which may be polluted or contaminated by toxic chemicals. Where the history of a piece of land is unknown, there is a potential risk.
An obvious first step is to find out the history of the land - local authorities hold records of known contaminated land within their boundaries and your planning or environmental health departments will have land contamination officers to advise you. Many will have industrial-use data going right back to the 1800s.
If there are no records of likely contamination but you are still concerned, you could ask an environmental consultant to conduct a soil quality test on the land. As a rough guide, a plot about the size of an allotment up to an acre would need ten or twelve soil samples and would cost about £300 for a standard set of tests, including analysis and interpretation of the data.
If you're still uncertain, a possible solution is to grow your vegetables in builders' bags. Many people have established fantastic vegetable gardens by using these as instant beds.
To find an environmental consultant near you, ask your council or try the directory of companies at www.ends.co.uk.
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