'Children's lives have been put in danger' as asbestos lingers at city schools

Two Liverpool Special Schools open in brand new building on Long Lane,Fazakerley. Bank View School & Redbridge High School.
-Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited


Children’s lives “have been put in danger” on school grounds that still contain asbestos, according to concerned city leaders.

Liverpool Council has been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” amid harmful materials being found on the site of two Fazakerley special educational needs schools almost a decade after they were built. It was revealed in June 2023 that remnants of asbestos have been found within the grounds of Redbridge and Bank View North schools.

Members of the city’s planning committee expressed their concern at the lengthy delay to remove the materials, while environmental health officers stressed the threat to human life remained low. A fresh plan to remove it from soil in the grounds has been deferred pending a visit from councillors to assess the site.

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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 previous. Liverpool Council officials confirmed the presence of contamination remains on 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. In 2013 the schools were given outline permission but were ultimately built not in compliance with the decision notices and conditions.

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.

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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.

Andrew Bickerdale, agent on behalf of applicant construction firm Wilmott Dixon, told the committee on Tuesday the site, which now provides educational facilities for more than 400 pupils and 100 staff, had previously housed allotment plots with domestic sheds containing asbestos on their roofs. Mr Bickerdale said the levels of contamination were at a “low level” and chemicals had been used for the support for the growth of plants previously.

Bank View School, Long Lane, Fazakerley
Bank View School, Long Lane, Fazakerley

He added how past attempts to remove hazardous materials had not been successful, with contaminants still present. Mr Bickerdale said this was “not an acceptable situation” and needed to be “put to bed.”

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The agent said removal and replacement of topsoil containing contaminants would take up to six weeks and the only viable window remained in the summer break in 2026. Cllr Julie Fadden, who represents Wavertree Garden Suburb, was scathing in her assessment of the project’s life to date.

She said: “I’m quite frankly incredulous, we’ve got children with special needs on a site that has got contamination all around it, it’s got glass, it’s got debris, there’s a raft of concerns that residents have got but children are actually on that site. What confidence have we got that the requirements will be met because they clearly weren’t last time?”

Cllr Fadden said there was “no doubt” the situation had to be put right but “shouldn’t have got to that state in the first place.” She added: “I can’t believe this authority has been asleep at the wheel on this one.

“We’ve got a school there, housing, children with special needs and we’ve not made sure the requirements of the previous application have been met.” Cllr Fadden said as a result of the materials being found in the surface around young children, “their lives have been put in danger.”

Cllr Joe Hanson, Kirkdale, added: “The concerns we had last time, I don’t think have been answered by this resubmitted application.” The Labour representative said he had “no faith” health and safety issues would be monitored effectively, given how long asbestos had been present on site.

Bank View School, Long Lane
Bank View School, Long Lane, Fazakerley

Officers from the city’s environmental health teams were adamant the strategy put forward to remove the contaminants was valid. Paul Farrell said the strategy was a “conservative approach.”

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He added: “This site has always been a low risk site with regards to human health. We do know from history asbestos containing materials would be commonplace on an allotment but the actual risk is low.”

Cllr Paul Brant, whose Fazakerley West ward, the school sits in, said it was a “sorry story that we’ve ended up in this position” and it was “frankly a shame” asbestos had remained on site for as long as it had. He added how there was an opportunity for lessons to be learned to ensure this didn’t happen again.

Confirming a decision on the future of the site had been deferred, Cllr Tom Cardwell, planning committee chair, said the council “cannot delay this any further.”