Part 2A Soil Investigations at Avondale Park Gardens and Treadgold House
In October 2018, the Government announced that a programme of environmental checks would be carried out to investigate risks to human health arising from potential contaminated land resulting from the Grenfell Tower fire. Stage 2 of these checks concluded in 2021 and confirmed that the Grenfell Tower fire did not result in contaminated land.
Treadgold House and Avondale Park Gardens were identified for further investigation as part of the Council’s normal statutory duties to investigate land which may be contaminated through historic use or activity. This work was separate from the Environmental Checks Programme.
The Council has completed its soil investigations to determine whether either of these areas is contaminated land under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Part 2A). A summary of each phase of work and links to relevant reports, including the findings of the Environmental Checks Programme and the separate investigation work at Treadgold House and Avondale Park Gardens, are provided below.
Overall timeline
- October 2018: Environmental Checks Programme announced
- Spring 2019: Stage 1 commenced
- October 2019: Stage 1 concluded: Full report
- April 2020: Stage 2 commenced
- July 2021: Stage 2 concluded: Full report
- November 2021: Part 2A investigations commenced
- November 2022: Part 2A investigations concluded: Full report
Stage 1 and 2 of the Environmental Checks Programme
In October 2018, the Government announced that a programme of environmental checks would be carried out to investigate risks to human health arising from potential contaminated land resulting from the Grenfell Tower fire. The works were overseen by a Government led Multi Agency Partnership and the consultant AECOM was appointed to undertake the soil sampling and assessment, with independent review by Dr Paul Nathanail.
The programme was carried out in two stages under the Part 2A regime of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (referred to as Part 2A) with the results of Stage 1 published in October 2019 and Stage 2 published in July 2021.
Soil sampling was undertaken at 45 site locations (six of which were outside the borough boundary of Kensington and Chelsea) during the Stage 1 and Stage 2 works. These did not identify detectable concentrations of substances in soil that could be linked only to the Grenfell Tower tragedy. At 43 site locations, it was concluded that no further action was required under Part 2A. However, there were two sites where it was concluded that the presence of historic contamination, not linked to the fire, required further investigation.
These two sites were Treadgold House (managed communal open space to the west and south of the building) and Avondale Park Gardens (central public open space). At these sites, the human health risk assessment indicated that the risk to health from lead might be greater than ‘low’ and so the need for further actions under Part 2A could not be ruled out.
The investigation of these two sites passed to the Council, as part of our duties under Part 2A.
Soil investigations at Avondale Park Gardens and Treadgold House
At the end of 2021, soil investigations were undertaken at both Avondale Park Gardens and Treadgold House to investigate lead and a range of other substances in soil. To ensure continuity, the Council commissioned the same consultants, AECOM, that had been used for the Environmental Checks Programme. We also engaged the services of Dr Paul Nathanail as the Suitably Qualified Person to provide independent scrutiny of the investigation and who had responsibility for signing it off. We received that sign off at the beginning of November 2022.
The final Part 2A report for Avondale Park Gardens and Treadgold House provides full details of the site investigation work completed by AECOM and its recommendations to the Council.
Avondale Park Gardens
Avondale Park Gardens is not contaminated land and no further action is required under Part 2A. The gardens may therefore continue to be used as normal. The Council’s Written Statement below for Avondale Park Gardens summarises the site investigation work and explains the Council’s decision.
Treadgold House
For Treadgold House, no further action is required under Part 2A. However, elevated levels of lead were identified in the west and south of the garden area. Voluntary remediation will therefore be undertaken as part of the refurbishment works commencing this year. The Council’s Written Statement below for Treadgold House summarises the investigation and explains the Council’s decision.
Advice for gardening
The Council recommends following the UK Health Security Agency’s guidance for gardening in urban areas, which applies to anyone handling soil in an urban environment. In summary, this is to wash your hands and any soiled shoes and clothing after gardening, working or playing in the garden and washing and peeling homegrown fruit and vegetables.