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The Ince Central Estate consists of 327 properties, including 94 that are privately owned. The estate has a history of subsidence problems but an investigation into a hole that appeared in the rear garden of a house at Greenfield Avenue in the summer of 2003 revealed that there are contaminants in the ground.
Wigan and Leigh Housing and Wigan Council appointed independent experts, Wardell Armstrong to investigate the problem and on the 22nd October 2003 they provided an initial report outlining measures that needed to be taken to determine the extent of the soil contamination on the Ince Central Estate.
On 8th March 2004 they submitted a draft report and risk assessment outlining the findings from the second phase of the investigation. The report provided details of 18 different types of contaminated waste that had been found in what is described as a “patchwork quilt” of contamination on the estate. As a result Wigan and Leigh Housing and Wigan Council are in the position of having to find a solution to deal with the contaminated soil and remove the risk to human health.
Senior officers from Ashton Wigan and Leigh Primary Care Trust, Greater Manchester Health Protection Unit and the Environment Agency are assisting Wigan and Leigh Housing and the Council in doing this. The health authorities have advised from the outset that there are no immediate health risks to residents, provided that they follow the advice given in a Do’s and Don’ts list issued to every resident on the estate.
A Residents Liaison Group (RLG) was formed in November 2003. Current membership comprises of tenants, owners, Ward Councillors, officers from Wigan and Leigh Housing and Wigan Council and representatives from the consultants, Mouchel Parkman who were appointed to deal with the site investigation, recommend options for the removal of the contaminants, and supervise the remediation work.
The RLG acts as a ‘sounding board’ for residents to express their views about the many difficult issues that have affected the community during the investigation of the contamination and the preparation for remediation works. Residents’ representatives are informed of progress and are involved in discussions regarding health issues. In addition they have been kept fully informed about the site investigation and have been involved in the Option Appraisal exercise to decide the best remediation treatment for dealing with the soil contamination. Residents have also visited other contaminated land sites in Sheffield and Manchester to examine the alternative options for the removal of the soil contamination. One tenant and one owner from the RLG hold places on Wigan and Leigh Housing’s Stock Investment Committee Sub Group that advises the Wigan and Leigh Housing Board and Wigan Council on the soil contamination problem. Members of the RLG have also been involved in the appointment of consultants and more recently the appointment of a contractor to carry out the remediation work.
The Council appointed Mouchel Parkman Services Limited in July 2004, as specialist consultants to develop appropriate options for dealing with the contamination. Mouchel Parkman initially had to carry out a more detailed site investigation and then produce a risk assessment and a project plan for options to deal with the contamination. The Council also appointed Temple Group Limited in July 2004 to act as an Independent “Residents Advisor” to provide advice to all residents during the site investigation and at the beginning of the remediation works. Temple have carried out a capacity building exercise with residents and have equipped them with their own skills to deal with the issues. As the remediation works are now on site and are being managed by the on site staff of Wigan & Leigh Housing and Mouchel Parkman, the RLG have decided that Temple’s work is complete and with effect from October 2006 Temple no longer support residents.
In week commencing the 4th April 2005, after an unavoidable delay in setting safety levels for some of the contaminants, Wigan and Leigh Housing delivered letters to residents informing them of the results of the site investigations completed by Mouchel Parkman. The site investigations confirmed that 222 residents were living on contaminated land while 105 residents had clear results from the boreholes in their gardens. The main contaminants were heavy metals such as Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, and Nickel, and some polyaromatic hydrocarbons such as BAP (Benzo(a)pyrene) and Naphthalene.
The contamination was so widespread that it was decided to carry out a third set of borehole tests to the 105 properties to ensure that the “clear” results were statistically robust. Those borehole tests were completed in April and laboratory test results were received in June 2005.
In week commencing 27 th June Wigan and Leigh Housing delivered letters to the 105 residents informing them of the results of the site investigations completed by Mouchel Parkman. 75 of the 105 properties were also deemed contaminated. The site investigation has, therefore, revealed that a total of 297 properties are contaminated, while only 30 properties have contaminants below the set safety levels.
In the weeks that the letters were sent to residents, staff from Wigan and Leigh Housing and Wigan Council’s Community Protection Department visited all residents in their homes to discuss the results with them and to give them the opportunity to comment.. In addition three separate events - an Owners Briefing, Tenants Briefing and Health Awareness Day - were held to assist residents with further information and to give them the opportunity to ask questions.
Once the results had been sent to residents, work focused on the options of how to deal with the contamination. Methods considered were: -
A pilot scheme was set up at two vacant properties, 44 and 46 The Grove prior to taking any final decision on which option to use to remediate all the contaminated properties on the estate. The pilot scheme, using the mixed method of containment and excavation and replacement, was completed during May 2005. Open “Viewing Days” were held for residents to see the work at different stages. Air quality monitoring and tests for noise and vibration were also completed during the pilot scheme. These tests were invaluable in that they informed the Council that the remediation works could be done without any apparent danger to residents’ health. This in turn meant that there was no need to move people from their homes while the remediation scheme was implemented.
Since the completion of the pilot scheme, Wigan and Leigh Housing, the Council and the RLG have approved that the remediation works on all the estate will be as per the pilot scheme. i.e. a mixture of the containment and excavation and replacement methods. Having decided on the remediation treatment the site investigation stage of the project was complete.
At this stage Wigan and Leigh Housing, the Council and the RLG tendered for the appointment of a consultant to supervise the remediation works and Mouchel Parkman Services Limited were appointed. Since their appointment Mouchel Parkman and officers of WALH and the Council have divided the estate into 9 separate geographical areas called phases and the estate will be remediated on a phase by phase basis. They have also completed a tender for the remediation works, and worked with officers and the RLG on the appointment of a contractor.
The tender for the remediation work was won by P Casey and Company Limited just prior to Christmas 2005 and they were formally approved as the contractor by the Council early in the New Year.
There were several tasks that had to be completed prior to the main remediation works starting on site. For example surveys of residents’ gardens and the garden’s contents are required. These have been completed for phases 1, 2 and 3.
Structural surveys are also required to all properties and these have been completed. Investigations have revealed that there are 13 properties that will require underpinning works to their foundations prior to the soil remediation works commencing on site.
The Council’s Community Protection Department have to carry out the formal determination process. The formal determination process has commenced and 100 residents in Phases 1, 2 and 3 have received a letter which includes the Notification of Identification of Contaminated Land. This means that these properties will now be entered on the Contaminated Land Register.
In addition to these tasks the Council has applied for funding to DEFRA, the government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for the costs of Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the main remediation scheme, and DEFRA have approved the bids. Phases 1 and 2 have also received planning permission from the Council for the remediation treatment works. A planning application has been made for Phase 3 and planning approval is expected in October/November 2006.
Works started on site at Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the scheme on 30 th May 2006 and 7 th August respectively. The contractor carrying out the work, Caseys, report that works are proceeding well but are slightly behind programme and as at the 20 th October 2006, it is projected that the 32 properties in Phases 1 and 2 should have the contamination remediated and their gardens re-instated by week ending November 10 th 2006.
Phase 3 of the remediation scheme which is the largest with 68 dwellings is due to start on site in week commencing 30 th October 2006. Phase 3 should complete in June 2007.
Residents are kept informed of progress through regular newsletters distributed to all homes on the estate. Copies of the newsletters are provided below: -
