Asbestos discovery delays Melton Council demolition contractors
Demolition contractors working on the site of the new headquarters for Melton Council have had their work delayed by two weeks after the discovery of asbestos on site.
Work on the disused buildings on the new site for the Leicestershire local authority was halted last week, in order to enact the correct procedures with which to dispose of the deadly substance. Council representative, David Blanchard, said, "A substance the contractor recognised as potentially being asbestos was found on the site. Tests have confirmed it is asbestos and it is therefore being dealt with safely in line with the guidelines and as advised by the Health and Safety Executive by our contractor."
The new headquarters are being built to replace the old offices, which were destroyed in a fire in May 2008. The decision to move the site entirely has drawn criticism from some former civic leaders.
A spokeswoman for the demolition contractors said the assimilating of the delay into their projected timeline should not cause too much trouble and was currently being worked into the schedule.
She said, "The council is discussing with the contractor any implications this may have on the programme of works. In the meantime they are seeking to realign the work programme in order to catch up on some of the time that has been lost."
They still predict that the shell of the building will be visible by November, by which time designs for the interior furnishings will be well underway.
