Allotment holders fear council plot over soil drilling

Development on the Isle of Dogs has stretched beyond Canary Wharf in recent years, with schemes such as the nearby 1,100-flat Asda redevelopment appearing for consultation this year.

The council has assured them the drilling work has nothing to do with any future building plans, but Isle of Dogs and District Allotment Society secretary Vincent Gray said: "You'll find some kind of contaminant anywhere in London if you drill to six metres. We only use the top 100 centimetres for growing, so what's going on at six metres is absolutely irrelevant to us.

"Something that deep seems to have a motivation which goes beyond checking the plants."

The council claims it discovered lead in the soil during a recent survey, and a further test found two other "low level risk" chemical contaminants which do not pose a threat to health.

It says it has a "legal obligation" under the Environment Act to check for such elements, and wants to begin drilling between one and six metres into each plot by the end of the month.

It has agreed to explain the process to plotholders at meetings on Saturday morning and Monday evening, and observes contamination could have been caused by the site's "historical" use for "dock dredgings".

The society does not object to soil testing, but points out that a six-metre drill will make a hole 3cm wide and require a tripod.

Water used to lubricate the drill will also spill out when the drill is removed, soaking plants and possibly spreading any contaminant buried deep in the ground. It estimates the deepest drilling would "trample" around a third of a plot, which measures approximately 14 by 4.5 metres on average.

Parsons Brinckerhoff - which was recently acquired by Balfour Beatty - has been appointed to carry out soil testing, but the society also wants samples to be checked by an independent arbiter.

The allotment is protected by its status as metropolitan open land, and can only be dissolved by a Court of Chancery edict or an act of parliament.

The only exception to this is if the plots are declared to be contaminated. Society chairman John Matheson moved to Mudchute Allotments 18 months ago from Manor Gardens, which was shut to make way for the Olympic site.

He said: "We tried to save ourselves but we had a closure order put on us. I held that plot for 20 years. I enjoy improving the land in my own small way.

"Some of the people here are over 80, but there are also some plot-holders with children and some in their 20s."

Vincent added: "It's a special place. Your job can be as stressful as you like, but you can just go down and do something that leads to your next crop of potatoes, and the world's OK again."

A statement from the council said: "The sole objective for the soil sampling at Mudchute Park and Farm is the protection of public health and the environment. It is in no way connected to current or proposed development in the area.

"There are a number of sites which require investigation across Tower Hamlets and these have been prioritised according to historical use of the land and the sensitivity of the current use of the land.

"It is important to undertake investigations swiftly so we can process and interpret the results as quickly as possible."