Further to the findings of a specialist report revealing that asbestos has been found on the site of the proposed asphalt plant, we got in touch with the anti-asphalt plant campaign group, Wight Residents Against Asphalt Plant (WRAP) for their view on the report and how it came about.
Julia Hill from WRAP says, “I believe it was as a result of pressure from WRAP. You will notice that the report even refers to concerns of residents surrounding the position of boreholes and goes on to (badly) explain their rationale. They (Eurovia) originally stated they hadn’t found asbestos until it transpired they hadn’t even tested for it.
“Much of the historical data in the report was originally presented to the IWC by WRAP members.”
Council failures
Julia went on the say, “I also note that when guided to the site initially, the IWC failed to provide the company with sufficient data on the background of the site.
“Data which it transpired was freely available from the County records office.”
Health and safety foremost?
In response to the reassurances being offered by Eurovia after the findings, Julia said, “I note David Bindings latest ‘reassurances’ yet if their previous track record of gross negligence in France is anything to go by they have hardly demonstrated themselves as a company that put health and safety foremost.”
OnTheWight have contacted Eurovia to ask how the report came into being and are awaiting a response, which we will add here once received.
Update: 15th April
David Binding, Eurovia Commercial Director, said: “We commissioned our own site investigations, completed in December, following consultation with the Environment Agency, Isle of Wight Council and as a result of the new National Planning Policy Framework.”
Image: Sean Rogers1 under CC BY 2.0
