Christy Towels, Greater Manchester

Remediation of Textile Mill and Colliery

• demolition of extensive mill structures and a 60m chimney, with infilling of reservoirs and gasholder bases
• crushing and reuse of suitable recovered aggregates
• removal of unstable reservoir sludges and contaminated soils
• regrading of steep slopes
• exploratory drilling for shallow mineworkings and capping of shafts
• placing of engineered cover to permit development of housing and infrastructure

SGP environmental consultancy tasks

• intrusive site investigations and provision of remedial strategy
• quantitative environmental risk assessments and securing of regulatory approvals
• environmental sampling and monitoring of surface water drainage, waste arisings and ground gas validation testing of clean soil covers

Key facts

Programme

• 2004 SGP remedial strategy developed
• 2005 Remediation earthworks completed
• 2006 Construction phase gas and groundwater monitoring, review and risk assessments

Project cost - £1.8 million

Client / Developer: Barratt Homes

Remedation Contractor: Urban Regen

Background

The landmark Christy Factory at Hyde was a complex of former textiles mills and dyeworks covering 3.3 ha. The continuing operation of part of the site mill had to be accommodated by the contractor. The reservoirs contained deep silts that were potentially hazardous. Various options for the stabilisation of this material were considered, and Smith Grant helped secure a Contaminated Land tax exemption for the waste. Following a detailed chemical analysis of the waste, which appeared to contain hazardous levels of oils, Smith Grant was able to demonstrate that the sludges actually contained high levels of coal dust and soot, and were non-hazardous for landfill disposal, at a considerable saving. Smith Grant LLP has successfully re-classified many organic wastes as non-hazardous which had previously been identified as hazardous under the Landfill Regulations and Hazardous Waste Directive.