City to test industrial sites to rule out risk of poisoning

THREE former industrial sites in the Capital are to undergo tests to determine whether they could pose a danger to local residents.

Samples will be taken from the former sites of Portobello Power Station, Northfield chemical works and the chemical plant at Abbeyhill by Edinburgh Council, under legislation that requires local authorities to ensure such sites are safe for their current use.

The work will get underway next month and will involve specialist contractors taking soil, gas and water samples.

The council said it was writing to local residents to inform them of the site investigations, which should only take a few days.

However, it is expected that analysis of the results and reporting back on them will take several months.

The city council stressed that the work was "precautionary", and added that there was nothing to suggest there would be any problems with industrial pollution at the sites.

Environment leader, councillor Robert Aldridge, said: "There's no reason to think there are specific concerns with these sites, but as with any area that has an industrial heritage, Edinburgh needs to consider the possibility of an unwanted legacy.

"The legislation is there to make sure we actively look for possible problems, so I stress that this is very much precautionary work.

"The health and wellbeing of residents is paramount and we will keep all of those in the affected areas informed as the investigations proceed."

Portobello Power Station was demolished in the late 1970s and the site is now home to eight five-a-side football pitches and a bowling centre. The former Abbeyhill chemical works sits on Calton Hill, close to the Scottish government headquarters.

The tests are part of a long-running inspection programme in former industrial areas which will take a number of years.