A due diligence Phase 1 or desk study provides a risk assessment relating to contamination and the likely implications to human health, the environment and property.

These reports are generally required during property transactions.  They are often required by lenders and are recommended as part of the due diligence process when buying or selling property.  

The assessments aim to establish whether there is significant potential for environmental liability that might arise from third party claims or from regulatory intervention. 

We use our commercial acumen and experience to help purchasers negotiate asset value based on environmental data and reduce risks or uncertainty for clients trying to sell assets.

Our team delivers site investigations including design, health and safety management, intrusive testing, sampling, laboratory testing and reporting.  We can also deliver supplementary requirements such utilities data, topographical surveys and unexploded ordnance risk assessments.  

The investigations are completed for both environmental and geotechnical purposes across a variety of land use types.  They will often be required under planning for new developments on brownfield land following a preliminary Phase 1 risk assessment.

We provide reports with clear, commercial recommendations to support the design and planning process of new developments.  Paragon can complete assessments to enable the acquisition of land, for planning application submission and site regeneration schemes.  

We provide specialist advice on the management and mitigation of risks relating to contaminated land.  We design the remediation strategy to reduce risks and identify sustainable ‘clean-up’ solutions, which also highlight cost saving opportunities.  

Our goal is to safely regenerate brownfield land and return it to a condition where it is suitable for its intended use.  We aim to minimise risk for our client during this process. 

Paragon works closely with trusted contractors during the completion of remediation schemes to ensure that a high standard of implementation is adopted.  The progress is documented during the verification process, which we complete to demonstrate that remediation has been executed to an agreed standard capable of securing regulatory approval.  
 

We provide project management services to assist our clients with procurement and contract admin of contractors.  We can also adopt a site management role to independently verify the works of a contractor.  This may be a simple watching brief to inspect a formation level, right the way through to management of total site regeneration. 

Our team has extensive experience of a number of land use types and remediation technologies.  Health and safety is a priority for us on every scheme.

Where a fund is simply lending to a developer, we can review the performance of the borrower in meeting minimum environmental standards.  We will highlight potential risks in order to protect your investment return. 

Flooding can come from many sources including: rivers, sea, groundwater, sewers and surface water.  Approximately 2.5 million properties are reported to be at risk of flooding in England and Wales.

Therefore, flooding is an important consideration at the initial due diligence stage, as part of the management of an asset and when building new properties.  We can help to deliver assessments on all aspects flood risk and drainage. 

We can provide risk screening exercises on large portfolios though to more detailed flood risk assessment and modelling.  We can assist in the production of flood risk mitigation strategies, business continuity plans and evacuation planning. 

Working with our specialist partners we can deliver a variety of environmental services such as ecology, air quality assessments and noise impact advice.  We work closely with our trusted network of subcontractors to project manage the delivery of multi-disciplinary services where, for example, a client may have a number of environmental planning conditions to address.

Paragon confirms that our approved subcontractors hold relevant competencies and experience to ensure that high quality advice is provided.  Having built a reliable network of specialists, we are able to deliver these assessments rapidly and at great value.

Environmental management is essential to what we do.  We recognise that environmental issues affect all businesses of any size or type.  

Increasingly, sustainability credentials sit alongside location, rental value and building type in equal measure when determining the future value of property.  

Paragon can complete sustainability appraisals of new developments including sustainability statements for planning applications, carbon budget statements and energy strategies.  

Additionally, we are helping our clients to meet their Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) obligations by completing sustainability appraisals on their property acquisitions and forward funded investments.  

With our fully integrated in-house building surveying, M&E and sustainability expertise, Paragon can evaluate existing EPCs or recalculate them where necessary to ensure that they appropriately represent the energy efficiency of a property.

Should the property fail to meet the MEES regulations, or works be necessary in order to improve the building’s efficiency, our industry leading experts will professionally evaluate and manage the whole process of meeting MEES regulations seamlessly.