A contaminated land risk assessment has been carried out at the controversial Consett Academy school development site.

Consett Academy Contamination at New Site
Could there be contamination at the proposed Consett Academy site at Belle Vue? Is is being reported that there are harmful materials being found in the contaminated land risk assessment.

Asbestos, carbon monoxide and mercury have all been reportedly identified at the Belle Vue site. These findings are being considered a potential risk to the health of humans.

The report was completed by a geotechnical engineer Daniel Freeland, at the request of Carillion Building North. Carillion Building North were commissioned by the local authority to build the school and new leisure centre.

Durham County Council want to build a £44million Academy on the site. The development of the new Consett Academy has already been through many obstacles. This new report has been submitted to the council.

Back in August 2009 contamination fears were cited by council bosses as a reason for overlooking the former steelworks site a place to build a new school. Durham County Council’s Cabinet voted to build the school on the Belle Vue site instead of the seven hundred acre former steel works site at Berry Edge. Despite this concern of the former steelworks land being contaminated; new homes, a restaurant and a new supermarket (Tescos is being built) are all features of the former steelworks site here in 2012.

The contaminated land risk assessment has been said to be a health concern to construction workers and “site end users”. “Site end users” are teachers, pupils, and anyone else who will eventually attend Consett Academy.

“The contaminated land risk assessment has identified that siteworkers are most at risk from the contamination.”

“The assessment has identified that the risk to end site users is low, provided that localised areas of contamination are excavated in areas to be defined as a residential land use i.e. the school buildings and associated soft landscaping.”

Said Mr. Freeman.

 The main dangers are from the inhalation and ingestion of materials found in the subsurface soil, dust, and/or vapour.

“If asbestos containing material is encountered or anticipated then it is recommended to keep the material wet by damping it down so as to prevent loose fibres from becoming airborne.

“If potential asbestos is identified during siteworks then work should cease in the area and the advice of an asbestos specialist should be sought regarding further actions.

“The risk from carbon dioxide is considered low but gas protection measures are required.”

Said Mr. Freeman.

The report is to be included in the application to the planning department for permission to remove the existing leisure centre, swimming baths, and football club. The Civic Centre which was once part of the site has already been demolished.

The council’s Highways Committee could be expected to reconsider an application from Consett Green Spaces Group (CGSG), which has clearly opposed the new academy development, and wishes to have the land registered as a village green.

The Highways Committee is believed to be considering the application on January 17, 2013.

If the application is considered appropriate, the planning application would then have to be considered by the council’s county planning committee on February 5, 2013.

Have your say, leave a comment below…


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5 COMMENTS

  1. So were the workmen who demolished the civic centre at risk?

    Was there asbestos present in the civic centre?

    Does anyone know how asbestos would be present at the acadmy site?

  2. Here man, why dont thay just build on the old steellworks areas?

    Would it not make sense considerin they have all the new houses and tescos now getting built on it now.

    The longer it take the more money people are being paid for surveys and all that. Probably all part of the plan to get as much money out of it as possible.

    Its a joke, there should be an investigation into why there is a free school going at the steelworks areas when the acadamy was no alloud to be there.

  3. So what about the kids? we’ve already seen ‘the principal’ go as far as to even chuck out workbooks replacing them with new academy ones to replace the old school logos… Moorside and Blackfynes identities were wiped as fast as possible against the wishes of the majority of Consett in favour of this academy, and now its going to be set back even further, justifying the reasons parents had for not wanting the original schools split before the academy was built!…. are press and goverment going to finally listen to the parents and put the schools back as they were? or are they going to continue to ignore the issues and press forward with the academy like nothngs ever gone wrong?

  4. Its not surprising that the land at belle vue is contaminated, the land at berry edge where they are bulding tesco’s, the new houses and factories and also where the new estate is at fenwick way is are ALL on contaminated land. you just got to ask the people of consett that lived here when the steel works where knocked down because alot of people witnessed the rubble and other stuff being buried instead of being disposed of properly. Also there are loads of tunnels underneath certain areas where the steel works where that was never filled in that would be filled with water by now that housed miles of copper cable. there are other areas in and around consett that house were built on aswell that was on contaminated land i.e. templetown (on the brick works), shotley (on the old sewage works) to name a few.

  5. Land contamination is a serious issue.

    This is a minor set back in the councils plans, you watch, it’ll all go ahead as planned.

    Also what is this about a free school being built on berry edge?

    Surely the same excuse as to why the academy isnt being built applies to this free school too?!

    I would like to question project genesis and the council as to why this fiasco is still going on.

    I say build the academy at berry edge.

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