LONDON
ASSEMBLY
LABOUR
Press office: 020 7983 4952
News release
13.09.2018
For immediate use
Southall Gasworks air pollution
concerns raised at
Mayor’s Question Time
At Thursday’s Mayor’s Question Time, local London Assembly Member, Dr Onkar Sahota AM, argued for the need for independent air quality monitoring of brownfield sites undergoing redevelopment. Dr Sahota questioned the Mayor on the matter, after residents, living in close proximity to the Southall Waterside redevelopment scheme, complained of health issues that they believe are connected with the odour produced by contaminated soil on the site of the old gasworks.
Dr Sahota has previously written to both the Environment Agency and Public Health England urging them to investigate these concerns.
In his question to the Mayor, he highlighted that whilst the responsibility for commissioning air quality monitoring ultimately falls to local authorities, the overall regulatory framework needs to be tighter.
Dr Sahota is also calling for the enforcement of more independent oversight to reassure residents living near brownfield sites earmarked for development. Berkeley Homes, the developer of the Southall Waterside scheme, commissioned their own air pollution study of the former gasworks site, but the impartiality of these findings has since been questioned by local residents.
During Mayor’s Question Time, Dr Sahota underlined the potential for this to become a more widespread and pressing issue across the capital as more brownfield sites are unlocked for affordable housing schemes.
In response, the Mayor agreed that air quality monitoring processes must be able to secure the trust of local communities. Whilst he highlighted City Hall’s limited powers of intervention in this area, he confirmed that the Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe, is working towards devising a strategic approach to addressing the issue of land contamination on brownfield sites.
Dr Sahota has now written to the Deputy Mayor to follow up with him on these issues.
Local London Assembly Member, Dr Onkar Sahota AM said:
“I am very pleased the Mayor has shown he is taking the issues of land contamination on brownfield developments seriously, sharing my desire for a long-term solution for better oversight of this issue in the capital.
“Over the last few months, I have been amplifying the concerns of Southall residents regarding the air quality surrounding the old gasworks site in my discussions with the Environment Agency, Public Health England and officials at City Hall.
“The need for independent air quality monitoring of brownfield sites is crystal clear. It is vital that Londoners living close to major developments are able to feel confident about the conclusions of any local health impact assessments that are carried out.
“The Mayor is implementing a range of measures to improve London’s air quality and going forward, I hope that we can find effective solutions that address the regulatory gaps that have been identified with the Southall Waterside scheme.”
ENDS