Cemetery Road, Pudsey

Our brief

Lithos were initially commissioned to undertake a geoenvironmental appraisal of this former textile mill occupying a 4 hectare site in Pudsey, Leeds.

Site history and characteristics

There were a number of above-ground fuel storage tanks and fuel pumps located across the site, along with a vehicle-servicing workshop.  Review of historic Ordnance Survey maps and British Geological Survey records indicated the presence of a former mill pond and a redundant groundwater abstraction well within the site.  Geological maps indicated the site to be underlain by Carboniferous Lower Coal Measures strata, with the Elland Flags formation outcropping beneath part of the site.

What we did

An initial phase of investigation was undertaken on behalf of the vendor while much of the site was still operational, utilising a combination of machine-excavated trial pits and window-sample boreholes.  Further trial pitting investigation was undertaken on behalf of the developer following demolition of the former buildings to ground-floor slab level.  The ground investigation encountered up to 3m depth of made ground, located primarily in the area of the former mill pond, overlying weathered sandstone bedrock.  A number of discrete areas of significant hydrocarbon contamination (primarily diesel & lubricating range organics), associated with former fuel tanks and with organic sediment in the base of the former mill pond, were identified.

The outcome

Lithos’ Geoenvironmental Appraisal and accompanying Remediation Strategy reports enabled the developer to obtain Local Planning Authority and NHBC approval for the proposed remediation works

Subsequently, Lithos were commissioned by the developer to provide supervision and validation of the remediation works undertaken by a specialist contractor, which included:  full turnover of made ground to remove all relict foundations; excavation & ex-situ stabilisation treatment of hydrocarbon contaminated soils, to allow subsequent retention on site; removal of localised asbestos containing materials; preparation of the ground for construction of new adoptable highways; treatment of redundant abstraction well

During the construction phase, Lithos were further commissioned to validate the quality and thickness of the clean soil cover layer placed in all gardens and soft landscaped areas underlain by residual made ground.  These works were undertaken on a rolling basis during development, with validation certificates submitted regularly to NHBC to clear outstanding conditions and allow warranty certificates to be issued for each plot.

Lithos’ final verification report stands as certification that the agreed remediation works have been satisfactorily completed and that the site is suitable for the proposed residential end-use, thus allowing all planning conditions relating to ground investigation, remediation and validation to be discharged.