Investigation launched into land contamination in city

York Council is planning to conduct the research at the two locations in the city, including land close to a school, after receiving a 51,000 grant from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The work is the latest in a series of investigations to be carried out at sites across York.

The new project comes as the council plans to launch a revised strategy to deal with contaminated land.

If given the go-ahead by councillors on Tuesday next week, the revised strategy will include a number of recent changes in legislation and guidance.

If contaminated land is found, the blueprint will provide a framework that will look at how clean-up works will be carried out to protect the public's health and the environment.

The strategy will also include details on how the environmental protection unit will inspect the city and manage the information which is collated.

The revised strategy, if approved, will be put in to action when environmental protection officers carry out investigations at two council-owned sites to establish if land has become contaminated by landfill waste.

Studies are due to take place this month at a closed landfill site at Chapman's Pond, off Moor Lane in Dringhouses, and on land behind Westfield School, off Askham Lane.

The investigations will involve taking soil and water samples as well as ground-gas monitoring. The results will then be assessed to determine if either site falls under the legal definition of contaminated land.

Previous grants have funded the investigations of closed landfill sites at Fulford Cross, Nun Ings, Huntington Road, Fifth Avenue and Water End.