Park renovation delayed due to asbestos

Vauxhall Park is an award-winning park in South London. It covers 8.5 acres and was opened in 1890. The park is run by Lambeth Council and is currently undergoing a £1.4 million renovation. The renovations, which started in September 2019, have unfortunately been hit by delays following the discovery of asbestos in the children’s play area. As part of the renovations, large areas of the park have been dug up to create new paths and a playground and it was during this work that asbestos was found in the ground.

Asbestos from old buildings

It is believed that the asbestos came from buildings that were demolished in the 1950s and 1960s and the debris was buried rather than disposed of. This was not an uncommon practice at that time, when the effects of asbestos on health were not so well known. Following the discovery of the asbestos on the site, work was stopped but later continued with supervision from specialist asbestos removal contractors. Lambeth Council Project Manager, Rob Kelly, has advised that upon completion of the renovations, there will still be asbestos in the ground but that it will not be a danger, “Asbestos is fine, as long as you don’t disturb it, as so we have redesigned the project to avoid any further excavation.”

Works delayed

The works were initially supposed to be completed in February this year but were delayed and then due to finish in June, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now not clear when the renovations will be finalised. We are pleased that the Council and their contractors acted quickly when asbestos was discovered and that they brought in asbestos professionals to supervise the work to ensure the safety of those on site. Whilst it is not ideal to have asbestos in the ground, particularly where children will be playing, provided the park is used in the proper way, there should be no danger to users.

Risk of mesothelioma

It is important that people are not exposed to asbestos as even minimal exposure puts people at risk of developing the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma. Sadly, although there have been medical advances in the treatment of mesothelioma, there is still no cure for the disease. If you require assistance in pursuing an asbestos compensation claim for mesothelioma or other asbestos disease then please contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the ‘Contact Us’ page, complete the form and we will be in touch.

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