No threat found in tests on toxic ground
Residents who suffered illness on a Scottish estate have been told there is no sign of contamination under their homes, despite previous evidence.
People living in the North Lanarkshire Housing Association estate off Watling Street in Motherwell contacted lawyers in summer 2009 after experiencing health problems such as nosebleeds and headaches and complaining of the smell of gas.
They believed the ground was contaminated and that North Lanarkshire Council failed to carry out sufficient remedial work before allowing homes to be built.
Despite revealing in October 2010 that tests it commissioned from consultancy WSP Environmental found toxic chemicals (Trichlororethene) in the open ground around the homes, North Lanarkshire Council has released a report stating that no evidence has been found to date suggesting significant risks to health.
The report, which was published today, said result from eight of the 64 gardens tested required ‘further investigation… on a precautionary basis’.
The 400-home estate was constructed by Glasgow-based City Link Developments in the mid to late 1990s and the majority of homes are now owned by North Lanarkshire Housing Association.
Des Collins, senior partner of Collins Solicitors who were representing the residents, said: ‘Not only have [residents] had to wait an additional five months to hear the council’s findings, they then find that these are wholly inconsistent with the initial indications provided by our own independent internal air testing programme.
‘In our view, in light of the available evidence, there remains the potential of ‘significant risk of significant harm’ to the local residents, and the latest report does not offer any comfort to them.’
