

Land Quality Endorsement Services
Technical risk management for the reclamation of brownfield and contaminated sites for residential development.
NHBC's Land Quality Endorsement (LQE) services deliver technical risk management for clients looking to undertake remediation or reclamation of their sites for subsequent sale for residential development, all in line with NHBC standards for land quality.
How LQE can help manage risk
- Reliable advice - from project inception to land sale, NHBC's land quality and geotechnical engineers provide expert guidance on meeting the requirements of NHBC Standards (Chapter 4.1: Land Quality - Managing Ground Conditions.)
- Reduced uncertainty - potential risks will be identified, assessed and quantified. NHBC's early involvement checks that remediation solutions comply with the NHBC Standards for land quality, thereby ensuring acceptability for Buildmark warranty cover.
- Increased confidence - our independent technical review of the remediation process gives developers security along with vital information about the suitability of foundation solutions.
- Certification - following verification of remedial works, NHBC issues a certificate of Land Quality Endorsement - a proven resource for simplifying the warranty registration process for the builder.
Land Quality Endorsement Services
Our engineers assess all forms of brownfield and marginal land, supporting the delivery of solutions that satisfy NHBC's requirements for residential development. We aim to accommodate clients at all stages of development by offering two core land quality endorsement services:
Full LQE Service
The full LQE service provides the opportunity for proactive NHBC involvement and assessment during the entire reclamation or remediation scheme, from project inception through to final verification. Upon closure of the project, a Certificate of Land Quality Endorsement is issued, detailing what is acceptable to NHBC and any works outstanding for the acceptability of Buildmark warranty cover.
LQE Technical Assessment
The LQE Technical Assessment service provides the opportunity for NHBC to review proposals for remediation/reclamation works or assess works that have been completed. Our assessments enable us to determine whether the works were undertaken in accordance with the NHBC Standards and to determine acceptability for Buildmark warranty cover.
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Developing brownfield sites can involve significant risks, with geotechnical and contamination issues often contributing to unforeseen costs and obstacles during remediation.
NHBC's Land Quality Endorsement (LQE) services deliver technical risk management for clients looking to undertake remediation or reclamation of sites for sale and residential development in line with NHBC standards for land quality.
Ideal for landowners, development agencies and specialist remediation companies, our team of dedicated environmental, geotechnical and land quality engineers assess all forms of brownfield and marginal land, both during and after remediation, to determine final acceptability for Buildmark warranty cover.
NHBC's LQE is fast becoming a pre-requisite for many developers looking at large brownfield sites, with typical locations including landfills, quarries, gas works, mine works, industrial complexes and collieries.
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NHBC is already helping on some of the largest remediation schemes and challenging sites in Europe - open cast coal mines, landfills, cement works and chalk pits. NHBC's assessment of the remediation process, from site investigation through to verification, can help address planning conditions and has been used in appeals.
The service is particularly beneficial to sites that will be remediated for subsequent sale to developers of new housing or mixed-use schemes.
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Brownfield and contaminated land can produce a range of challenges and unpredictable circumstances. NHBC experts from a diverse range of disciplines contribute to technical reports, providing advice to help the industry understand and overcome some of the most common difficulties facing developers.
Case Studies
Our Land Quality Endorsement services deliver technical risk management for clients. See examples of our work and how we add value by reading the case studies below.