Contaminated land case study - Auchterarder

A couple living in Auchterarder have been stunned by the news they are living on land contaminated with toxic chemicals. Usually cases such as these can take years to reach a conclusion, but in this instance, significant developments have taken place in a matter of months.

Preliminary investigations on the site of the former Lang Toon's gasworks began in August 2006. The results revealed that the site, which shut in 1963 following more than 100 years of service, was contaminated with chemicals including cyanide, and that the residents, Mr and Mrs Jack, were in danger of chronic health damage.

Perth and Kinross Council moved swiftly to secure £600,000 funding from the Scottish Executive to clean up the site, mindful of the fact the money was only available for a limited time. By October 2006, Mr and Mrs Jack had been told their home would have to be demolished as part of the remediation. "To discover we were living on contaminated land all these years came as a bombshell. We have been through the most traumatic experience of our lives," commented Mr Jack.

The couple were officially given just five weeks to leave their home, which is due to be demolished in January 2007 and are set to move into rented accommodation until the council has remediated the land and re-built the property. While they may consider themselves fortunate not to have to finance the clean up of the land or the rebuilding of their property, their lives have been turned upside down by the damaging effects contaminated land can have.

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