Former council worker warns against building houses on ‘contaminated’ South Shields land

Ken Diver, 73, fears that demand for new homes may lead to housebuilders searching for construction opportunities targeting a stretch of land lying adjacent to the now demolished Chuter Ede secondary school in Biddick Hall, South Shields.

The land where the school stood is being used to house a new care facility and building work is ongoing.

Council chiefs say the site was thoroughly checked for ground contamination before planning permission was given – and it was also not part of the former tip.

But Ken says he can recall the land lying alongside it being used as a local authority dumping ground from late 1950s until the early 1970s – and believes waste is still present.

In his former job as a driver for South Tyneside Council, he dropped off non-hazardous material there.

However, he also remembers trucks delivering tonnes of hazardous waste, including 45-gallon drums of chemicals from local industrial businesses.

Ken, who lives at Biddick Hall and is a former head of the area’s Neighbourhood Watch, believes asbestos and other toxic materials remain buried.

He is concerned the land, which includes a football pitch, could be targeted for housing development.

The married dad believes developers should not disturb the turf, and said: “I understand the council is looking to build homes at this site, but I don’t believe they should.

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“As far as I know, the land will be contaminated underneath and there could be seepage from the tip.

“In the days when the land was used as a tip, there was no health and safety like there is today, all sorts of contamination was dumped there.

“About 25 years ago, a developer did look at building on this site, but pulled out when they test-drilled.

“Around every four or five years, I see people on the site, drilling into it – I think they are testing for methane.

“I’m not saying don’t build, but if a developer does build, I hope they would fully explain to those who may buy their homes what was once here.

“If new houses were built on concrete platforms, then that might be good enough.

“If people still want to buy, that’s up to them, but they should know that if they grow their own vegetables, they may end up with purple carrots.”

South Tyneside Council insisted land set down for possible development was entirely safe.

A spokesperson said: “The land within the proposed allocation has not been subject to previous landfill.

“The approved application for the extra care facility on part of the allocation considered contamination in detail and this would be the case for any subsequent application for the remainder of the proposed allocation.”

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