Date Issued: Thursday 3rd September 2015

RESIDENTS KEPT IN THE DARK OVER CONTAMINATED LAND

Furious residents in Arborfield are demanding to know why they were kept in the
dark and not told that tonnes of contaminated soil are being transported through
residential areas.
The Arborfield Garrison Residents Action Group (AG RAG) has learned the
contamination on the piece of land earmarked for the secondary school is more
extensive than was first declared by the MOD. This has resulted in building work
being delayed on the new school.
Gill Purchase, spokeswomen for the Group, explains.
Over the summer weve been raising concerns with local councillors and the
developer, Crest Nicholson, about the number of HGVs and container vehicles that
have been thundering through residential areas. We have also been asking why
work has not yet started on the secondary school, which should have begun in July.
Finally, after weeks of chasing them for an answer, we were told by the Borough
Solicitor that contamination was more extensive than was first declared by the
MOD. We then realised these vehicles have been moving contaminated soil off the
site and close to houses, the pre-school and through the village.
She adds. Our concerns over contamination were raised several times during the
planning application process, based on the experiences residents groups have had
around other former MOD sites. Each time we highlighted this issue, both
Wokingham Borough Council and the developer assured us the surveys and data
they had were reliable! We know now the planning committee and officers used
flawed information to approve the application for the school.

She concludes.
What is also of great to concern to us is the Council are not saying what has been
discovered and what the levels of contamination are on, what is just a small part, of
the Garrison. So weve put in a Freedom of Information request to find out exactly
whats going on.
Its important the plans and surveys are now reassessed to assure residents and
parents, who will be sending their children to the new school next September, that
the environment in and around the site is safe. This should not have been allowed to
happen; both Councillors and officers have a duty of care of protect the health and
safety of residents above all else!
~

Note to editors:

Statement from Mary Severin, Borough Solicitor, sent on the 2nd September 2015 to
AG RAG and then a following statement a few hours later saying the site has being
handed over imminently.

1)
The delay has been caused by the discovery that the level of contamination on the school site was more
extensive than that declared by the MOD. It has, therefore, taken longer than anticipated for Crest Nicholsen to
complete the de-contamination works ready for handover to us. We now expect to gain control of the site on
Monday 7th September. Fortunately there was some contingency time built into the build plan and we can also
apply to another part of WBC to increase the hours of work. The weather over the winter will also either allow us
to progress at a good speed or slow us down, we shall have to wait and see re this. The project plan includes an
action at the end of January 2016 for a decision to be made on the contingency site. This site was heartily
approved of by all the potential Education Providers, including Bohunt the successful provider, also by the
members of Parent Reference Group.
2)
I am writing to correct my statement sent to you earlier. The council now expects to gain control of the site
imminently.