§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of clearing ordnance and contaminated land from the site of RAF Chilmark; and whether the land will be disposed of without liabilities on the purchaser. [126334]
§ Mr. CaplinSince closure in April 1995, the cost of clearing ordnance from RAF Chilmark, including the preparation of Land Quality Assessments and remediation, has been approximately £1.8 million.
Parts of the site have already been sold. It is Ministry of Defence policy to 'sell with knowledge'. Following completion of explosive ordnance clearance, the Land Quality Assessment and details of any remediation work will be made available to prospective purchasers, and will be taken fully into account in agreeing the terms of sale including price. Remediation of contamination prior to transfer will generally be confined to the removal of ordnance and other defence specific contaminants, such as chemical agents or radioactive and micro-biological material that a civilian contractor might not have the relevant experience to deal with.