Fast, Council-Ready ESA Reports for Development, Planning & Land Use Change

In Sydney and the Blue Mountains, legacy land uses — from industrial and commercial activity to uncontrolled fill or demolition waste — have left many sites with potential contamination. If you're submitting a Development Application (DA), seeking CDC approval, or planning a change of land use, a site contamination assessment is often required by your local council or certifier.

At Confluence Environmental, we provide fast, compliant Environmental Site Assessments (Stage 1 and 2) across all areas of Sydney and the Greater Blue Mountains region. We help you identify risk early, meet planning conditions, and move forward with confidence.

Where We Work

We service all Greater Sydney and Blue Mountains LGAs, including:

• Sydney Metro: Inner West, Parramatta, Ryde, Blacktown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Sutherland, Georges River

• Western Sydney Growth Areas: Bringelly, Leppington, Marsden Park, Box Hill, Austral

• Blue Mountains: Katoomba, Springwood, Lawson, Blaxland, Lithgow

• Surrounding LGAs: Hawkesbury, Wollondilly, Camden, and beyond

Our consultants are experienced in both high-density and peri-urban development, infrastructure corridors, and residential subdivisions.

Stage 1 – Preliminary Site Investigations (PSI)

A Stage 1 ESA, or Preliminary Site Investigation, is the first step in identifying whether a property is likely to be contaminated based on historical land use.

We conduct PSIs for:

• Development Applications and rezoning requests

• Complying Development Certificates (CDCs)

• Subdivision or land amalgamation approvals

• DA closeout conditions or 10.7 Planning Certificate responses

Every PSI includes:

• Desktop review of historical aerial imagery, topographic and geological data

• Review of EPA registers, council archives, and planning records

• Site walkover inspection by an environmental consultant

• Summary of risk and recommendations for next steps (including need for DSI, if required)

Delivered within 3–5 business days
Accepted by Sydney councils and certifiers
Aligned with SEPP (Resilience and Hazards), NEPM 2013, and NSW EPA guidance

Stage 2 – Detailed Site Investigations (DSI)

If the PSI identifies a risk of contamination, a Stage 2 ESA (DSI) will be required to confirm whether contamination is present and to what extent.

Our DSI approach includes:

• Soil sampling (surface and subsurface via hand auger or drilling)

• Groundwater and vapour sampling (where required)

• Analysis by NATA-accredited laboratories

• Interpretation against NEPM (Health Investigation Levels, Screening Levels)

• Development of a Conceptual Site Model (CSM) and risk summary

We commonly assess for:

• Asbestos in soil

• Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium)

• Hydrocarbons (TPH/BTEX)

• Pesticides and herbicides

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and PFAS

Suitable for contaminated land management under the Contaminated Land Management Act 1997
Reporting options available for CEnvP sign-off if required

Remediation Action Plans (RAP)

When contamination is confirmed, we prepare a tailored Remediation Action Plan to ensure your site is made safe for future use — whether residential, commercial, or mixed use.

A RAP outlines:

• Site-specific remediation objectives

• Clean-up levels and target thresholds

• Methods for excavation, capping, containment or treatment

• Waste classification and disposal pathways

• WHS controls and validation requirements

We work closely with builders and certifiers to integrate RAPs into your construction timeline, avoiding unnecessary delays.

Validation Reporting

Following remediation, a Site Validation Report is needed to demonstrate the site has been made suitable for its proposed use.

We undertake:

• Final sampling and lab testing

• Interpretation of results against applicable land use standards

• Validation reporting for council or EPA review

• Liaison with your certifier or town planner as required

This documentation is often critical to:

• Satisfy DA conditions

• Release Subdivision Certificates

• Finalise land titles or Section 88B instruments

Due Diligence & Pre-Purchase Assessments

If you're acquiring or selling a property in Sydney or the Blue Mountains, particularly one with a legacy industrial, commercial, or rural use, a due diligence ESA can protect you from future liability.

Our assessments identify:

• Past contaminating activities (fuel storage, industry, dumping)

• Likely contaminants of concern

• Presence of asbestos, buried waste, or hazardous fill

• Potential need for remediation or monitoring

Due diligence ESAs are ideal for developers, planning consultants, legal advisers, or government entities managing land transactions or large sites.