Asbestos campaigners welcome Royal Commission report

Asbestos campaigners from the Spodden Valley have welcomed a report published by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. Its conclusions suggest the government should do more to tackle pollution in urban areas, co-ordinate transport and place greater value on the provision of urban green spaces and amenity land.

The environmental watchdog, said it was "astonished" that the Government had no over-arching plan to deal with the environmental impacts of housing, transport and energy use in the urban areas where four out of five people live.

It said thousands of deaths each year were linked to urban environmental problems, such as poorer air quality, greater risk of traffic accidents, higher incidence of obesity and increased mental strain.

Sir John Lawton, the chairman of the Royal Commission, criticised ministers' rhetoric about protecting the environment. He suggested that such spin was at odds with the lives of most British people.

"Commissioners are astonished that, on the eve of the new phase of urban regeneration and expansion, we lack an overarching urban environment policy to coordinate the provision of housing, transport, energy and other vital services," he said.

"Tinkering with any one of these issues in isolation is bound to fail. We can and must do better if we are to meet environmental challenges and improve the health and wellbeing of our citizens."

The Royal Commission’s Urban Environment report is welcomed by the Save Spodden Valley campaign co-ordinator Jason Addy. He said: "The controversial planning application to build over 600 homes and a children’s nursery on the site of the world’s largest asbestos factory remains firmly on hold. The Atkins Report, an independent review of the environmental information submitted with the 2004 planning application, was critical of the developers’ testing and analysis methods for identifying contamination on the huge industrial site.

"In the original Environmental Statement the developers’ submitted with the planning application was the phrase:

'of particular note is the absence of any asbestos contamination'  [E.S. para 5.30]  

"In stark contrast, the independent Atkins Report concluded that asbestos dumping on parts of the site could be up to 4.5 metres deep. The Atkins report also raised concerns about soil sampling techniques and the lack of air sampling.

"In 2005, government agencies working with Rochdale Council identified the need for a Health Impact Assessment. It was suggested that such a study would take at least 6 months to gather information about all health related issues regarding the proposed Spodden Valley planning application.

"The proposed Health Impact Assessment remains in abeyance yet SSV campaigners remain optimistic given this week’s publication of the Royal Commission’s Urban Environment report.

“This gives government a green light for creating a green lung for Rochdale.

“It is central and local government policy to encourage green gateways and the provision of urban greenspace corridors, biodiversity and amenity land. Good health has an economic value. What price do we put on not disturbing asbestos fibres and instead creating a safe and permanent cap on an industrial site that has caused so much misery?”

Nigel Moutrey of MMC Estates said: "There appears to be much confusion about what the report by Atkins represents: Atkins did not carry out any investigation. Atkins studied previously compiled reports and made suggestions about the possibility of contamination in other areas of the site that have not yet been investigated.

"Moves are already underway to investigate possible contamination further in accordance with suggestions made in the report.

"No development will take place until we have a thorough understanding of the contamination issues on the site, as we have previously stated on a number of occasions. 

"The application referred to is an outline planning application, not detailed. It includes reference to the inclusion of community facilities on the site; this could include a range of potential buildings, uses and services.

"The quote with regard to the environmental statement refers only to the area of the site to be developed; not the area of known asbestos dumps in the wooded area. The analysis to date on the part of the site to be developed has not shown the contamination, as suggested. Again, this is something that we have stated previously. 

"I would like to again highlight that the wooded area of the site, which contains levels of asbestos contamination in places, will be made safe and opened up to public use. Currently there is only public right of way along the footpath. The costs of making this area safe for many generations to come will be up to £12 million and will be funded from the development of the part of the site that already has buildings on it."