Hollicombe Action Group

Video clips of the protest

Click thumbnails above to view video clips of the protest

Developing the former gas works for housing is likely to cause health damage within at least a two mile radius of the site. This includes Paignton, most of Torquay, Preston, Livermead and Cockington.

The dust thrown up from this type of site can be as small as ‘PM1’ in size - (the smallest and most dangerous sized particles that enter the lungs and cause the most damage). Councils only monitor particle sizes from ‘PM10’ down to ‘PM4’ , which are too large to enter the lungs. Measurements by ‘PM2.5’ monitors at five Derbyshire schools within two miles of a brownfield development revealed dangerously high particle levels. The dust thrown up at the former gas works will include heavy metals and phenols, most of which can cause cancer in later years.

In addition, bulldozers generally run on industrial diesel which is grossly inferior to city diesel. Each bulldozer emits as many harmful particles as 900,000 Volvo V70 cars. These particles contain PAHs (Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons) which can also cause cancers and brain damage. Measurements in Brighton June 2007 around a brownfield site with four bulldozers were as high as 1100ug/m3 ‘PM1s’ (safe limit 5ug/m3) and ‘PM2.5s’ as high as 375ug/m3 (safe limit 7ug/m3).

The expected range of health effects from these particles would include asthma, heart attacks, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, skin rashes and cancers.

Asthma incidence in children rose from 11.9% to near 50% during excavation works at the Millennium Dome site in Greenwich - previously an old gasworks. Workers on the site developed rashes and some have gone on to develop and even die of cancers.

When researching a coking works brownfield site I discovered that the local hospital became the worst in the UK for deaths - 42% above the national average, with all victims residing within two miles of the development.

• This is the only main road that links Paignton and Torquay
This development will have a dramatically negative effect on all traffic using this route. It is currently a bottle-neck during commuter times and throughout the day in peak holiday season. Midas' architects are now proposing a 'radical new treatment' of Torbay road as it passes the development - their main objective being to 'stop the road being a barrier between the site and Hollicombe Park' and to give 'higher priority to pedestrians by by slowing down vehicles'. In our opinion this is an accident waiting to happen and any housing development here will be to the detriment of existing residents and all road users in Torbay.

• Second junction at Old Paignton Road could be highly dangerous
There are also plans to create an access road on to The Old Paignton Road, (Preston Primary School hill) which we believe would severely compromise child safety when walking to and from the school.

• Toxic dust thrown up during the decontamination process
Investigations into the soil and water samples on site have shown elevated contaminant concentrations of Arsenic, THPs (petrol and diesel ranges), PAHs (benzo(a)pyrene and naphthalene) and Cyanide to name but a few.

These are carcinogenic chemicals, which have been linked to the deaths of several workers who have previously been involved in cleaning up former gas works sites. If there is even a slight risk of dust reaching the school, our children or the neighboring houses then this development should not be allowed to proceed.(see related articles by clicking here) Daily Mirror 09/08/2007 and here Sunday Mirror 15/10/2000

• Heavy plant machinery accessing the site will add to the traffic problems in the area and could pose a real danger to our children.

• Noise pollution from the site will disrupt Pupil's education for at least three years. At this stage of a child's education three years is a very long time.

Flood Risk
This site is on a natural flood plain which is a Zone 3a (highest level) flood risk area.

• Frequent flooding The whole site was awash with floodwater as recently as August 2007.

• Increased risk Repeated flooding in England is becoming all too frequent and is set to get a lot worse in years to come. We all witnessed the devastating effect flooding can have when Boscastle was hit in 2004.

• Departure from the Local Plan - Midas' planning application for 185 flats is a departure from Torbay's Local Plan which earmarks the site for the building of only 50 homes.

• Wildlife inhabiting the site such as bats

• Scale and height of the proposed buildings / tower blocks

• Additional road works when new rising main is laid under the highway

• Negative effect on tourism - Who would wish to visit an increasingly urbanized bay on roads clogged with building work and traffic jams?

• Historic Boundary - Hollicombe is the last green wedge between Paignton and Torquay. It marks the historic boundary between the two towns. Any development here would be at variance with Government policy which requires that the merging of settlements should be avoided wherever possible.

• Additional strain on infrastructure - There are no plans to expand the existing infrastructure to accommodate such large numbers of new residents in the area. Building here will put immense strain on public services such as schools, dentists, doctors, the fire service and the police.

• No Jobs! - Who will be living in these flats? Many people have pointed out that there simply aren't enough quality jobs in the bay to enable local people to buy these homes. It is far more likely that they will be bought up as buy-to-let properties or used as retirement flats or holiday homes.

• At odds with Torbay's Urban Design Guide - Please read the extracts from the council's Urban Design Guide as this development is at variance with their vision for the bay.

Midas' full planning application and associated documents are available at Roebuck House from Friday 8th Feb 2008 or by clicking this link. and entering the following ref No. in the search field P/2008/0114