Residents demand work stops and people resign over 'toxic cocktail' site

CLECKHEATON residents who fear they have been exposed to a “toxic cocktail” of substances have reaffirmed their demands for work to stop on a local building site.

- By ABIGAIL MARLOW Local Democracy Reporter

Cleckheaton site FIVE DEMANDS MADE AS CONSTRUCTION FIRM INSISTS ALL RISKS OF CONTAMINANTS HAVE BEEN 'DULY CONSIDERED'

(ELLIOT BRADBURY)

As the construction of 180 homes on a plot of land off Westgate began earlier this year, locals became concerned by the amount of dust being generated and its contents. When dust coated surfaces, as images show, residents commissioned independent asbestos tests, taking samples from around their homes. Up to now, seven of these tests have been positive for either brown or white asbestos.

Strata Homes, which is carrying out construction, has maintained that work is being done safely and in line with regulations.

When planning permission was granted, it was known that the site was contaminated with several substances including asbestos, lead, arsenic, and cyanide. Samples taken from the ground during the planning process, show some of the substances, like lead and arsenic, were present at levels several times higher than the national guideline in certain locations. According to the Contamination Report, of 88 samples, 64 could be classed as contaminated.

A remediation strategy was drawn up setting out how this contamination would be addressed, with this accepted by Kirklees Council.

But given the visible presence of dust, evidence of elevated levels of contaminants on site, asbestos testing results, along with allegations of declining health since works began, locals are convinced they have been exposed to a dangerous mixture of chemicals and “abandoned by the planning system”.