Development go-ahead for contaminated site

Environmental health officers have given the go-ahead for developers to build 132 homes on land in Cumbria that was feared contaminated.


The plans for the former tip site had been withdrawn last year, according to the Cumberland News.

During the 1970s a workman on the site was killed by methane leaking from the ground and in 1987 two children were killed by gas in nearby sewers.

A new strategy by Taggart Homes Carlisle to cap the waste with a three foot-thick layer of clay, together with a vertical underground barrier to stop methane leaking in from nearby contaminated land, has been given the go-ahead by environmental health officers.

Following on from the investigation and proposals, city councillors have granted planning consent for the 7.5-acre site.

The council received 13 letters of objection and a petition against the scheme after concerns about potential health hazards.

According to the newspaper, the environmental health report said: “While the detailed risk assessment concludes that the site represents a significant potential hazard to human health, the remediation and mitigation measures will enable it to be safely developed.”

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe