The council and their airport company’s preferred location for a second terminal is on a recognised County Wildlife Site and public park. Wigmore Valley Park was created on the town’s former unregulated waste tip which was capped with clay 40 years ago. It is known to be toxic and contains many nasty substances including asbestos. The site was also the dumping ground for heavy industry and contains substances that are dangerous to public health.
As can been seen in the photograph, specialists had to wear full protective clothing and face masks when taking waste samples from the park. Smoking and even mobile phones were banned from the area due to the risk of explosions from methane gasses trapped below ground. They then had to use decontamination showers where their outer clothing was removed and destroyed.
The council is so determined to push through airport expansion, it is the view of many people that they are blinded to the risks to public health and are willing to take a chance.