A national environment body could ban construction workers setting fires at a disused factory undergoing multi-million pound renovations in Aberdeen.
Last September the city council backed a project to transform the long-vacated Broadford Works into an urban village including flats, restaurants, cafes, bars as well as offices and shops.
During the large-scale demolition work, contractors Central Demolitions Ltd had been granted permission to burn up to ten tonnes of waste a day on the site.
Fire at Broadford Works believed to be “controlled” blaze started by demolition company
But on May 11, scores of firefighters were called to the scene of one of the controlled blazes after nearby residents complained of smoke and raised the alarm.
The listed Victorian buildings have been repeatedly targeted by fire-raisers and vandals since the former Richards textile factory closed in 2004.
Now, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) have confirmed they are looking at “enforcement action” to ensure there are no more blazes.
Correspondence seen by the Press and Journal shows that senior council officers now believe the exemption order in place has now been revoked.
Last night, George Street and Harbour councillor Michael Hutchison welcomed the decision.
He said: “The decision to dispose of waste at the Broadford Works site by burning was a remarkably poor judgement given the history of the site.
“It was unacceptable that the fire brigade had to be called out continuously to the Broadford Works to deal with this. The situation was avoidable and placed a pressure on our fire service that could have made it more difficult for them to respond to emergencies.
“Over the past few weeks I was contacted by local residents who were concerned about the smoke and, given the number of fires that occurred here in recent years, also some who were concerned about the safety of their families and their homes.”
A SEPA spokesman said: “SEPA is aware of complaints regarding the burning of waste materials at the Broadford Works site on Maberly Street, Aberdeen.
“SEPA is continuing to monitor the demolition activity at Broadford Works and will consider what enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with environmental regulations are upheld.”
Central Demolitions Ltd did not respond to requests for comment.
