Contaminated land case study - Gloucester

Gloucester City Council is planning to carry out further tests adjacent to the former RAF Quedgley site, after developers found areas of soil contamination believed to be related to the site’s former use as a munitions factory and RAF depot. Several areas of burnt ash and clinker were found containing elevated levels of heavy metals and other chemicals, as well as traces of asbestos and radium, a radioactive substance used in glow-in-the-dark paint for cockpit instruments.

These discoveries prompted concern within the Council that similar contamination may exist in the gardens of some existing residential properties on the site. Initial investigations carried out across October and November 2008 revealed the vast majority of properties were unaffected by the contamination, but elevated levels of lead and zinc were found at two properties, and slightly elevated levels of radioactivity at a further three.

The Council revealed in March 2009 that further sampling would be required at the affected properties and that ultimately, it might be necessary to remediate some of the gardens in question. If this is the case, the Council has indicated that the RAF is likely to be legally considered the polluter, and therefore responsible for the clean-up costs.

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