Village odour is not 'statutory nuisance'

Work to clear and decontaminate the site is due to end in autumn 2011

The odour caused by the clean up of a former chemical factory site in Cambridgeshire has not caused a statutory nuisance, investigators say.

Concerns were raised by campaign group Hauxair over the effects on health of a nauseous odour in Hauxton.

Public authorities and councils earlier assured the group that the odour on the Bayer CropScience site was no threat.

South Cambridgeshire District Council made more than 60 visits to the area during a six-month investigation.

The Council and the Environment Agency said they would continue to ensure that site workers took all appropriate measures to minimise any impact the clean up operations may have on the surrounding residents.

The council said 51 people who had made a complaint to the council or the Environment Agency specifically about the odour had been sent a letter regarding the investigation and its conclusions.

Council executive director Steve Hampson said: "While the results and the information we collected to date suggests the criteria for a statutory nuisance have not been met, we still continue to work closely with the Environment Agency to monitor local conditions to ensure that local people suffer as little inconvenience as possible."