Asbestos may not be removed from school grounds for another 18 months
Asbestos found on the site of two Fazakerley special educational needs schools almost a decade after they were built may still not be removed for at least another year. It was revealed in June 2023 that remnants of the potentially harmful fibres have been found within the grounds of Redbridge and Bank View North schools.
In December 2013, terms were agreed for the construction of both sites following the cancellation of Liverpool’s Building Schools for the Future capital programme three years previously. Now, more than a decade on, documents for a retrospective planning application have set out that efforts to remove the potentially harmful materials may not begin until summer 2026.
Liverpool Council officials confirmed the presence of contamination remains on the site, which has been open to students since 2015. Asbestos was found to have been present for at least five years when football pitch improvements took place in 2018.
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In 2013 the schools were given outline permission but were ultimately built not in compliance with the decision notices and conditions. Liverpool Council planning committee members are now expected to sign off on the plans to maintain the sites.
New documents outlined how “a portion” of cemented asbestos up to 60cm was found on the site below a layer of topsoil and in several locations on site with a potential to impact human health now the schools are in use. Remediation of the site will include the removal of top soil across all soft landscaped areas of the entire school site and the replacement of this with clean, imported top soil.
Asbestos can be found in any building built before 2000, used for strengthening construction as well as for insulation, roofing and fireproofing. However, according to the HSE it kills 5,000 people a year.
When materials containing asbestos are disturbed, fibres release into the air and can cause serious diseases if they are inhaled. The diseases won't affect people immediately, but once diagnosed they can be too late to treat.
Approximately 20 tradespeople die each week as a result of past exposure. A new strategy has been agreed with colleagues in the city’s environmental health team but may not yet begin until August 2026.
This is due to the need for works to be undertaken during summer holidays and any potential delays to work. A fresh report said: “The summer 2026 start on site is considered the most reasonable start date, based on the timescales as advised by the applicant team.”