Fencing to protect reserve visitors from asbestos

Permanent fencing will be erected at a nature reserve to protect visitors from buried asbestos.

Three Rivers District Council said two small parts of Rickmansworth Aquadrome, Hertfordshire, would be permanently closed off to the public as a result.

Two years ago, Rickmansworth Canal Festival was cancelled after a survey revealed there was more of the material at the site than previously thought.

Council leader Stephen Giles-Medhurst said the authority had "an effective and robust plan to properly manage the asbestos at the site".

Specialist contractors will undertake remediation works at the wet woodland – adjacent to the closed Woodland Walk - and at the picnic area behind the depot.

As a result, small parts of the two areas will be permanently closed off to the public to "safely enclose the high-risk and medium-risk asbestos containing materials in those areas", the local authority said.

Work on the picnic area will begin on 12 October and is expected to finish on 10 November.

Work is due to start on the wet woodland on 11 November and last until early December.

These dates may change, subject to weather conditions and any other asbestos findings.

Louise Price, the authority's lead member for resources, regeneration and economic development, said: "Following extensive investigation works at these two areas, we are carrying out further remediation works by permanently fencing off small parts of the picnic area and the wet woodland to keep our visitors safe from the asbestos.

"I strongly urge everyone to please observe the signage and stay away from these areas to allow our contractors to undertake the remediation work safely under strict health and safety conditions."

Material containing asbestos was placed at the aquadrome in the 1920s when gravel was removed to build the original Wembley Stadium.

There were no records detailing how much there was of the material, or where it was, although it was always known that asbestos was present at the site.

The council survey more than two years ago revealed that in some areas, it was protruding from the ground.

It issued a site-wide "no-dig" policy, in a bid to prevent the material from being disturbed.

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