Chemical clean-up to rejuvenate West Yorkshire site

A £1.2 million trial looking at techniques to clean up residual contamination left behind at the site is nearing completion.

The research is being carried out by site owners Aeternum with partners Eco Foundations and Cambridge University. The research team are investigating improving the use of soil mix technologies.

It is a four-year project which started in October 2007 and will finish at the end of September 2011.

Site trials started at the end of April and are nearing completion. Once complete, they will not only provide new evidence that will be used nationally by the construction industry, but will also show how best Aeternum should improve this site.

Aeternum, who owns the site and is remediating the land, has been working with Wakefield Council to successfully remove the restriction on development in the area surrounding the old chemical plant.

This now opens up the opportunity for the eastern part of the town to be redeveloped with new housing, business and industry.

Alison Brown