EPU, Issue 2 June 2008 Hillingdon’s Land Clean-up Bulletin The Contaminated Redeveloping Former Military Land Land Inspection Hillingdon played a significant role in World War I and II. This has left a Strategy Review was legacy of potential contamination at former munitions sites and military published on the bases in the borough. Both of the airports in the borough (RAF Northolt Hillingdon Website and Heathrow, formerly recorded as a ‘RAF station’) were the result of in November 2007. military development (apparently under the pretext of military development The review brings in the case of Heathrow) during World War I and II, respectively. Hillingdon’s 2001 The EPU have been involved with decontamination works at former Strategy, which outlines how the munitions and laboratory sites in the borough over the last twenty Council will carry out its statutory years. The most recent developments have been at a former Royal duty to identify contaminated land Ordnance Factory on Bourne Avenue, part of a former Admiralty in the borough, up to date by: Laboratory (DERA site) on Kingston Lane and RAF West Drayton. extending the inspection timetable These developments have been primarily residential in nature. to account for the large number of As part of Defence Estates flagship Project MoDEL, 100 hectares of MoD land identified sites in London has been identified for redevelopment. Sixty hectares of this land is streamlining the Council’s aims made up of RAF sites in Hillingdon. Most of the demolition and clean-up works (see Box 1 below) have been completed at RAF identifying further work and roles Eastcote and the retained Part of across the Council RAF West Ruislip (pictured) prior to providing updates on the guidance development. Plans are being and legislation produced to redevelop RAF Uxbridge. reporting on how the strategy is Improvement works involving £180 being implemented and the Million capital investment are also progress being made being undertaken at RAF Northolt. Former Petrol Station, RAF West Ruislip The Environmental Protection Unit Bringing Derelict Land into a Green Space Use (EPU) will carry on with its inspection Where derelict land has high green space or ecological value, development duties under Part IIA and support potential of the land is restricted to such uses as leisure or nature Planning in ensuring land contamination conservation. Two such sites with which EPU have been involved are the matters are dealt with appropriately. To mounded artificial Ski Slope at Park Road and ‘rough’ tipped land adjacent to date 193 sites have been inspected Minet Park, near Southall Gasworks. under Part IIA. Remedial works have been undertaken at 40 sites under The artificial Ski Slope was created in about 1975 with a clubhouse and ski Planning since 2001. lodge. The site fell into dereliction and was destroyed by fire in 2001. Contamination surveys of the mound forming the slope were carried out and Box 1: Aims of the Strategy showed soil mixed with waste items such as cables, pipes, paper, ash/clinker, concrete, timbers etc. resulting in soil contamination which 1. To fulfill the Council’s duties included metals and oils. Planned clean up works involve importing clean under the Part IIA legislation soil from the nearby leisure development for landscaping to create a public 2. To bring about environmental open space with views overlooking London. improvements to create a clean, attractive borough Canal dredgings and gasworks wastes affect the tipped land between Minet 3. To encourage voluntary Park and Southall Gasworks. The land has ecological value and is used by remediation and the reuse of a local nature conservation group. Any high-density housing development at brownfield land Southall Gasworks would increase access into Minet Park. The increased 4. To limit the impact of use of the park, (part of which is an old pre-1950 landfill site, landscaped as contamination from Council part of the Minet Park development), may lead to unauthorised access onto owned land the untreated tipped area between the Yeading Brook and the Canal. This 5. To raise awareness and would be a concern given the soil contamination at the site, therefore any promote understanding of land mitigation measures for public safety would also need to take into account contamination issues the ecological value of the land. Environment & Consumer Protection, Environmental Protection Unit Tel.: 01895 250155 E-mail: [email protected] Find out more about land contamination at: http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=8676 .