A site earmarked for a new school field is contaminated with arsenic, lead, copper and nickel - all a potential danger to human health.

The piece of land in Witham, known as Bellfield, adjoins Chipping Hill Infant School in Church Street and has been allocated as a potential site for both school use and new houses in Braintree Council's draft local plan.

But the plan states the site has a high level of contaminants after being used for industry.

The area is covered in scrub vegetation and Essex County Council has said it makes no visual contribution to the nearby conservation area.

County council officers say the brownfield site is suitable for residential development with the infant school using part of the site as an outdoor environment study area with the possibility of a wider community use, supported by the district council document.

Paul Lincoln, director of learning services for Essex, supports the idea with the proviso that the contaminants are cleared.

School governor, Barry Fleet, (Lib Dem, Central) said: "If that's the view of the regulatory committee and they don't alter the designated purpose, perhaps they'd like to tell us how to deal with the problem."

Mike Barnett, education spokesman for Essex County Council, said: "Any use of that site by any students would require complete decontamination first."

Published Tuesday October 15, 2002

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