News

PENTLAND HOMES STATEMENT RE: CONTAMINATION, BOMBS AND ASBESTOS

This statement responds to the numerous negative comments posted on the Hawkinge chat site relating to contamination, asbestos and bombs.

Pentland Homes Ltd are the previous owner and developer of much of the current housing over the extent of Hawkinge Aerodrome. Additionally we own and control the remaining housing and development areas know as Terlingham Village Phase 3 and the Employment Land off Haven Drive

There has been much comment on this site, relating to both built and proposed developments in relation to bombs, contamination and asbestos over the extent of the Aerodrome site and we would like to formally respond to this as a matter of fact in order to clarify the history and subsequent investigations and conclusions.

Whilst the entire Aerodrome site was, some years ago, screened and cleared of ordnance, there have been, in recent years, a number of isolated incidences where stray ordnance has in fact been found and disposed of. Notwithstanding this further more detailed investigations, honing down onto smaller objects has now been undertaken over those areas still undeveloped resulting in a clean bill of health.

Turning to contamination and asbestos, it is understood that a number of the buildings previously demolished over parts of the aerodrome did contain asbestos and when removed did leave some residue resulting in a single find by a member of the public a number of years ago. This occurrence sparked further more detailed investigation into the existence of asbestos over the undeveloped land resulting in the confirmation that no further asbestos was present.

It should be noted that all planning permission attained on the Aerodrome site were subject not only to acceptable ordnance searches but also a full geotechnical and contamination assessment. All of these reports when submitted were in the public domain and are available for reference at the Council Offices.

We would also like to point out that all of the land recently permitted for housing development has been, at least twice, scanned for asbestos. Additionally all homes developed and that are to be warranted by the builders insurers such as the National House Building Council (NHBC) cannot be indemnified unless a thorough investigation and reporting exercise has been completed which rules out the existence or acceptable levels of contamination in relation to its affects to human health. This is another further safeguard over and above the local authorities own requirements.

Should anyone reading this article wish to have further information or indeed wish to discuss the issue of bombs, contamination and asbestos further, particularly for the remaining undeveloped land in Hawkinge please feel free to contact 

Matthew Brett-Chaponnel (Development Director), 
Pentland Homes,
8 Osprey Court 
Hawkinge 
Folkestone 
CT18 7TH