Hackney Wick: Investigation launched over building site smell

Construction has been halted at the site on Wallis Road

Building work has stopped as part of an investigation into a "very pungent" smell coming from a building site next to a school in east London.

Residents raised concerns about a chemical odour coming from the site on Wallis Road in Hackney Wick.

Hackney Council referred the issue to Environmental Health, which is investigating.

London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) said a system to reduce odours from the site had been installed.

It added that tests so far had shown no signs of hazardous materials but "the materials which have emerged from the piling are being tested before being removed from the site".

Lisa Huxley-Blythe, who lives in Hackney Wick, set up campaign group Clean Air for Hackney Wick Kids.

Lisa Huxley-Blythe says locals are worried

The 43-year-old, whose children attend nearby Mossbourne Riverside Academy, said: "It has got a lot of parents concerned.

"It's very pungent. We want to know what's being released and what the kids are breathing in.

"Is it safe for the kids to breathe it in? Should the work be carrying on while the kids are at school?"

Similar issues were reported at a nearby site in 2018, with children reporting headaches and sickness.

Naphthalene and benzene, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies as carcinogenic to humans, was found there six years ago.

Parents at Mossbourne Riverside Academy have expressed concerns

A spokesperson for the LLDC, which is responsible for the site currently being built on, said: "We take the concerns raised about the construction site at 62-64 Wallis Road very seriously and are working closely with the contractors and other public bodies to monitor the situation and to reassure members of the public.

"Hackney Council has referred the matter to Environmental Health which is carrying out an investigation."

Sam Kirk, assistant director for climate, sustainability and environmental services at Hackney Council: said: "After hearing reports from local residents about air quality in the area... we are requesting that work stops whilst an investigation of the concerns is undertaken to identify what the issue is, and to put in place any remedial actions required.

"We will also ask them to keep residents informed and updated on the situation."

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