Ground investigations as part of Salisbury River Park proposals

During the process of taking soil samples, traces of asbestos have been found within the ground. Whilst this was expected, the level of asbestos is slightly higher than anticipated. Precautionary measures have been put in place including fencing off the areas, contractors wearing additional personal protective equipment (PPE) and chemical showers located on site.

Philip Whitehead, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: We would like to reassure local people that the actions taken by the Environment Agency are purely precautionary and there is no risk to the general public. It is not unusual for asbestos to be found on a site such as this and appropriate measures have been put in place to safely manage the asbestos and enable the work to carry on. The work will continue to be monitored and further action will be taken if necessary.

Andy Wallis, Project Manager at the Environment Agency, said: Whilst it is not unusual for asbestos to be found during investigations of this kind, we are taking precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of our staff. These investigations are part of wider plans for the Salisbury River Park project that is currently out for consultation. We encourage people to let us know what they think about the plans by taking part in the online consultation that can be found on Wiltshire Council's website.

The ground investigation work will continue until 18 December and will resume on 4 January 2021 for a couple of weeks. A banksman will be on site to answer any queries local residents may have.