Hundreds of at-risk sites to face investigation

THE locations of hundreds of potentially dangerous sites contaminated by chemicals across Camden have been uncovered by the New Journal.
Schools, homes and workplaces in all corners of the borough are on an official list of more than 1,000 properties thought to be at risk of contamination from Camden’s industrial past.
Residents in the streets surrounding Ascham Street, Kentish Town, learned earlier this year that high levels of carcinogenic substances had been found in their back gardens, which would have to be dug up.
They have been urged not to eat home-grown
vegetables and to supervise children’s play while the clear-up is being negotiated.
But dozens of high-risk sites are being investigated by Town Hall boffins.
They include gardens behind The Flask pub in Flask Walk, Hampstead – a favourite drinking spot for celebrities – as well as back gardens in Dresden Close and Brassey Road, West Hampstead, Kingsgate Road, Kilburn, and Acol Road, South Hampstead.
New End School in Hampstead is on potentially contaminated land while Carlton Primary in Gospel Oak backs onto land marked as high risk.
Parts of the Maiden Lane, Gilbeys Yard and Elm Village estates in Camden Town are also high risk, alongside homes in Juniper Crescent, Chalk Farm, and the MTV studios in Hawley Crescent, Camden Town.
Officials, who are responsible for identifying contaminated land under the 1990 Environment Protection Act, stress that the risk ratings are based on an analysis of past uses of land going back to 1860 and do not mean land is definitely contaminated.
Only soil tests will provide a definite answer, they say.
Council lawyers have refused to release the addresses of the contaminated land while scientists continue to carry out checks, but the New Journal uncovered the locations by comparing documents published on Camden’s website with detailed maps of the borough.
Ammanuel Papadakis, 26, who lives in Acol Road, West Hampstead, one of the at-risk sites, said: “It’s disgusting. We should be hearing about this from the council, not from journalists.”
A Town Hall press official said: “Camden is among the first local authorities in the country to start using new powers under the Environmental Protection Act to identify such sites.
“We have begun identifying sites we would like to investigate, using historical maps from 1860 to the present day.
“We are still in the process of collating this information and will be undertaking further research. We do not expect to find many sites with serious problems caused by previous industrial use, but we do need to confirm this situation for the benefit of residents.
“We have already investigated one site in the borough and are speaking to residents about what we have found.
“We will keep residents informed at all times as soon as we identify contaminated land.”