Contaminated land case study - Cardiff

Residents in the St Donats area of Cardiff have been told they can expect remediation work to begin on their properties in July 2009. This follows the release of revised technical guidelines from DEFRA relating to contaminated land, which means Cardiff City Council can now begin the process of removing the contamination status affecting the properties.

This case dates back to November 2004, when the Council first informed all residents of the St Donats Road area that there were elevated levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, copper, nickel and mercury in their garden soils. Following tests in early 2005, the Council formally determined 110 homes as situated on contaminated land.

Since then the authority has conducted a number of structural and environmental surveys on the site, which was an old ash tip, to determine the extent of remediation required, including taking samples from vegetables grown on the site throughout 2007.

For residents this is just the latest development in a long running saga, and several homeowners have already spoken of their fears that it could be impossible to sell their houses in the future. The next step in the process will see the Council’s Executive Committee meet to discuss the remediation strategy and the all important question of funding.

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