Radon
A naturally occurring radioactive gas which may be found in high concentrations in indoor environments
- Design stage
- Co-design
- Tags
- local plan
- Useful links
- Discussion
- Join the discussion on GitHub
- Last updated
- 16 October 2024
Backlog
Who asked for 'Radon' data?
The Geospatial Commission has published a list of 65 open datasets that they believe are used during the housing and planning process. This includes Radon
What is the driver for the request?
Other
Which 2024 focus area does the request support?
Modern planning software
Screen
What is the 'Radon' consideration?
"Radon is a radioactive gas, we can't see, smell or taste it: you need special equipment to detect it. It comes from the rocks and soil found everywhere in the UK. The radon level in the air we breathe outside is very low but can be higher inside buildings." - UKRadon
Is there legislation that defines 'Radon'?
Yes
What is the legislation that defines 'Radon'?
NOT LEGISLATION - Building Regulations 2004, paragraps 2.39 and 2.40.
What is the specific part of the legislation that describes how a 'Radon' gets designated?
Building Regulations 2004 - "BR 211 provides guidance on basic radon protective measures appropriate in areas where 3% - 10% of homes and full radon protective measures in areas where more than 10% of homes are predicted to have radon at or above the Radon Action Level of 200Bq/m3."
What is the specific part of the legislation that requires the publication of 'Radon'?
N / A
Who, in law, is responsible for the planning consideration or makes decisions about 'Radon'?
- UKRadon
- Public Health England
- BGS (British Geological Survey)
Which organisations do we think should publish the data?
UKRadon (UKHSA)
Is the Radon a trigger?
No
Is the Radon something to consult during plan making?
Yes
Provide information about when Radon is used during plan making
This dataset should be consulted by LPAs to ensure that sufficient mitigation is being taken during development.
Is there any Radon data already available?
Yes
What Radon data is currently available?
- Radon data: Indicative Atlas of Radon (publisher: British Geological Survey; coverage: National - GB; licence: OGL; fields: TILE;CLASS_MAX;Potential;VERSION)
Do we think the data should come from a single source?
Yes - BGS
Will a data standard be required?
No
Research
Do we understand the lifecycle of a Radon?
No
Do we understand how the data is created/produced?
N/A
Where will or should the data be used?
During the assessment of a site.
Whilst developing a proposal for a site.
During the "searches" process in conveyancing.
What other planning considerations does it interact with?
- Local plans - Radon gas is occasionally referenced in local plans, so we think that this consideration feeds into the process of creating a local plan.
- Planning conditions
Who are the statutory consultees for Radon?
N/A
Other than the statutory consultees who are the primary users of Radon? How do we expect them to use Radon?
N/A
What are the planning needs for this data?
Understanding the presence of radon is essential for homeowners, landowners and developers, to ensure that sufficient mitigation is taken to prevent any harmful effects.
Who are the types of users who might benefit from having access to Radon data?
Developers - so that they can prepare the correct mitigation
Planning officers so that they know mitigations are required
Citizens/conveyancers need to know Radon levels for searches
What are some potential uses of Radon data?
Understanding mitigating Radon levels is important for building controls - as referenced in this guidance document
What's the value of adding Radon data to the platform?
It could be built into services helping developers to assess and prepare proposals for a site
From what we have learnt so far are there any risks to making Radon data available?
N/A