Cleckheaton residents demand stop to housing development as dust covers streets
Asbestos dust was found in some homes near the Westgate development
Cleckheaton residents are urging Kirklees Council to halt work on a major housing development after asbestos dust was found in their homes.
Since work started several months ago, residents living in nearby streets have been concerned about the quantity of dust created by the works – and its contents. Pictures show how the dust has collected on surfaces in gardens and inside homes.
The developer says its work is being carried out safely and in line with regulations.
In October 2023, planning permission was granted to allow market housing developer, Strata Homes, to build 180 new homes on a plot of land off Westgate, Cleckheaton. Since then, the site has been taken on by affordable housing provider, Thirteen Group, though the construction is still being carried out by Strata Homes.
A Contamination Report submitted alongside the planning application in 2023 stated asbestos was among the materials present in parts of the site. It states that evidence suggests an “unknown quantity” of asbestos was dumped in one area which had previously been home to a chemical works, with this said to have been filled over by a previous tenant.
A Remediation Strategy was drawn up setting out how risks associated with any contaminants on the site, including asbestos, would be addressed and mitigated. It says that a “precautionary approach” should be taken during initial works, anticipating that more asbestos would be found. It also outlines the contractors responsibilities including to prevent the off-site migration of contaminants via airborne dust and vapours.
Since the start of the work, some residents have sent samples of the dust collecting in their homes to be analysed by asbestos specialist, Acorn. Resulting documents from June and July of this year and seen by YorkshireLive, concerning five properties in the area, confirmed that there was amosite brown asbestos present in the dust in two samples, and chrysotile white asbestos in three samples.
Four of the samples were taken from gardens and one, which tested positive for amosite, which is considered the more hazardous to health, according to the government website, from an inside windowsill.
Residents claim some have reported new health concerns since work started and that instead of solid barriers, the site is surrounded by a “chain-link fence with loose netting”.
Thirteen Group disputes the claims, saying that work on the site is being carried out in a “phased and controlled” manner and in “full compliance” with national regulations. Chief Executive, Matt Forest said that a number of site visits have been undertaken by Kirklees Council and the Health and Safety Executive with nothing of concern being found during “various assessments”.
One resident, who did not want to be named, claims the site was not made safe before building began. They said: “They said this site would be made safe before building began – but it wasn’t. Now they’re planning pile driving, which will stir up even more of the material underground. We’re scared for our health.”
Another, Tracy Weaver, said the development is “putting people’s lives at risk”. She said: “There have been people who now need inhalers. Four of us on the same street have been referred to the hospital for a chest X-ray to be on the safe side. We can’t get a deep breath. I can’t go a whole day without an inhaler.”
“It’s like living in a dystopian nightmare.”
Mr Forrest, said: “We are aware of local residents’ concerns and have sought assurances from the specialist contractor handling the remediation of the site.
“The contractor has confirmed that work is progressing in a phased and controlled manner, in line with the remediation plan approved by Kirklees Council, and in full compliance with national regulations.
“The site has been visited multiple times by officers from both Kirklees Council and once by officers from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – they have looked at how the site is operating and carried out various assessments, none of which have identified anything of concern.
“The contractor continues to manage dust through approved mitigation methods, has monitoring in place, and is in regular dialogue with the HSE and Kirklees Council to ensure work is carried out safely.”
A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said: “We understand the concerns residents have about the site and want to reassure them that we are taking them seriously.
“We have carried out nineteen monitoring visits in recent months and are in regular dialogue with the developer to make sure the conditions of the planning approval are being met. This includes analysing and reporting on any hazardous chemicals found at the site and making sure they are at a safe level. We are also taking all the expert external advice we need to make sure residents are safe and protected.
“We have communicated with residents about the steps we are taking to keep them safe but it’s clear to us that concerns remain. That’s why we met local residents this week and we are following up the concerns they raised and the information they provided to us as a matter of urgency.”
Locals are crowdfunding in the hopes of pursuing legal action and have also called for the following actions to be taken:
A stop to all construction until safety measures are properly in place
Independent testing of air and dust
A review of the safety measures for future residents of the new homes
A review of the safety measures for existing residents
A public health investigation