The Environment Agency have confirmed that there are no safety concerns at The Lench Meadows and specialist testing has provided reassurance that the area is safe for all to use.
Following concerns raised by local Facebook group, Friends of the Lench Meadows, Stratford Town Trust commissioned Hydrock, a Land Contamination specialist, to carry out a post project review. The report revealed that there is a minimal risk to the public accessing the Lench Meadows but several recommendations were made:
- That an area on the smaller mound to the east was subject to a further hand pick to remove near surface inappropriate materials and the area is dressed in appropriate clean soils.
- That an airborne monitoring assessment is undertaken to indicate any asbestos fibre release from the ground.
- That Stratford-on-Avon District Council provides Hydrock's findings and the background information which supports it to the Environment Agency.
The three recommendations have now been successfully actioned, including an airborne monitoring assessment to indicate any asbestos fibre release from the ground. Ten samples were taken for analysis and all gave satisfactory results, revealing no danger to the public from airborne asbestos fibres.
The Environment Agency are satisfied that the materials involved in this project were all low risk and suitable for use as indicated, and as such will not be subject to waste regulatory action.
Sara Aspley, Chief Executive at Stratford Town Trust said: "Public safety is of paramount importance, and we are extremely reassured by the airborne testing results and the expert view of land contamination specialist, Hydrock and the Environment Agency, that the area is safe for the public to use. We are working towards achieving Local Nature Reserve status in the coming months to provide long term protection, support and protect habitats and species and allow everyone to get close to nature."
A costed plan has been drawn up to manage the ecology over a thirty-year period. This work will be jointly managed by Stratford District Council and Stratford Town Trust and will be mainly carried out by specialist ecology contractors with some ad hoc support from volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering should visit: www.stratfordtowntrust.co.uk
For more information about the latest progress on the Riverside project, visit: www.stratfordriverside.com
