Mytholmroyd Net

Mytholmroyd Net

Scout Road Primary, Mytholmroyd. Plan to double size of school Landslide site: But site is at risk of asbestos landslide

Evening Courier 8th January 2007

By Kelly Thornham

PLANS have been drawn up to double the size of a Calderdale primary school, despite concerns about a landslide from a nearby tip containing abestos.

Calderdale Council's Children and Young People's Services department hopes to refurbish a redundant school house attached to Scout Road Primary in Mytholmroyd and build an extension.

But a report by White Young Green Environmental said there was a risk of landslide in the area, believed to be posed by Scout Road tip, which contains asbestos.

More than £1 million has gone into making the tip safe over the years and tests are still under way to find a permanent solution. Asbestos was dumped in the Scout Road tip after the nearby Acre Mill site was cleared. The report said: "The site is located on a major landslide associated with the steep-sided valley of the nearby river. "At this stage it is likely that piled foundations will be required for the new structure. However, the potential impacts of this landslide on the overall project need to be fully assessed."

Peter Coles (Lib Dem, Luddenden Foot) said he was confident the council had constantly maintained the tip to ensure the surrounding area would be safe. Councillor Coles said: "If there was a health risk to the school, we would do something about it. "Scout Road Primary has an increasingly good reputation and the governors obviously want to build on it. "I am in favour of the extension. With the increasing number of houses going up in the area, there has been an increase in demand for school places. This is a good school and run well."

The Victorian school currently has two floors with a staff room in the roof void. The council hopes to refurbish the redundant school house attached to the main building to provide offices. It plans to build a three-storey extension at the back of the school. It would be made of natural stone, with a glazed connection between the existing building and the new one. The extension would include a stairwell, a lift and three classrooms, and plans include a widened car park and a new entrance. The playground, car park and access road would also be resurfaced.

A council spokesman said: "The council has submitted a planning application to refurbish and extend Scout Road School. "Surveys of the area have confirmed that there is a risk of some land slippage at the site of the former tip nearby. This means that some extra work will need to be carried out when the foundations of the school are constructed." A decision on the application is still pending.

See previous articles on Acre Mill :

A memorial in Hebden Bridge

Valley's darkest secret

Killer in the playground

Britain's biggest Industrial Disaster

CAPE MILL'S £40m FOR PAYOUT FUND

Acre Mill - the story that won't go away

Asbestos - John Pickering retires

Asbestos - The legacy of Acre Mill

Darrel Whitaker PhD.MRCPath.Consultant Cytologist

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