Work starts on new gas cut-off trench at Huncote Leisure Centre

Gas monitoring work in a nearby field found the high levels of methane

A new gas cut-off trench is being installed at a leisure centre where high levels of methane have been found.

Huncote Leisure Centre, in Leicestershire, was closed in November 2021 after officials detected high levels of the gas coming from the former landfill site.

Blaby District Council has since spent £600,000 on making the site safe.

The leisure centre has reopened to the public in October 2022 and repair works continue.

Work to install a new gas cut-off trench to the side and rear of the leisure centre building started on Tuesday.

Failures in the existing gas cut-off trench and water drainage systems were identified, resulting in ground movement and pooling water, the council said.

Trenches are a preventative barrier installed underground to minimise landfill gas migrating from one area to another.

The aim is to stop gas from moving towards the leisure centre and the perimeter of the site.

Extra funding

The current trenching works are expected to cost around £93,000, bringing the total spend up to £600,000 - a figure previously approved by the council.

A further £200,000 of funding was approved at a meeting on Wednesday.

About £40,000 will be spent on installing additional infrastructure, including a pump and pipework below the new trench to drain water away from the building.

Council leader Terry Richardson said: "On sites such as this you often don't know exactly what you are dealing with until works begin.

"Our latest round of remediation has revealed issues we could not have anticipated and which require more extensive measures to resolve.

"The safety of the site and the safety of local residents has always been of paramount importance."