FOI request (FOIR-853198193)

I am writing to Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex County Council regarding the land above Frederick Road, the former hospital site.

This email is also a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and, where the information requested is environmental information, under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

Please provide all reports, assessments, surveys, monitoring records, complaints, correspondence, remediation documents, risk assessments, validation reports, permits, approvals and records held concerning hydrocarbons, arsenic, groundwater contamination, groundwater movement, water ingress, flooding, remediation, or contamination risk at or from the former hospital site above

My understanding is that historic surveys undertaken on the former hospital site identified hydrocarbons and arsenic within the groundwater, with concentrations reported as exceeding the allowable limits.

I have today been informed by residents of Deepdene Gardens that, following the current building works on the former hospital site, there has been an ingress of water from the building site into the gardens at Deepdene Gardens.

If those reports are correct, I am concerned that groundwater originating from the former hospital site may now be flowing onto neighbouring residential land. Given the reported presence of hydrocarbons and arsenic within the groundwater beneath the former hospital site, I am concerned that this water may be carrying contaminated material onto the gardens at Deepdene Gardens.

Please advise how many complaints Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex County Council have received from residents of Deepdene Gardens concerning water entering their gardens or properties from the former hospital site.

Please also explain what immediate investigations have been undertaken, what countermeasures have been implemented, and what monitoring is in place to ensure that groundwater from the former hospital site is not migrating onto neighbouring residential land.

Please explain what testing has been undertaken on the groundwater leaving the development site and whether any sampling has been carried out on the water reported to be entering Deepdene Gardens.

Please also explain what action has been taken to ensure that residents are not exposed to hydrocarbons, arsenic, or any other contaminants identified within the site investigations.

This email also constitutes a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and, where the requested information is environmental information, under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

Accordingly, please provide copies of all information held relating to this matter, including but not limited to:

• All site investigation reports.
• All contaminated land reports.
• All groundwater investigation reports.
• All hydrogeological assessments.
• All environmental assessments.
• All contamination risk assessments.
• All remediation strategies.
• All remediation validation reports.
• All groundwater monitoring records.
• All laboratory analysis relating to hydrocarbons, arsenic or any other contaminants identified on the former hospital site.
• All reports relating to groundwater migration from the former hospital site.
• All reports concerning water ingress affecting Deepdene Gardens.
• All complaints received from residents of Deepdene Gardens concerning water ingress, flooding, groundwater or contamination.
• All correspondence with the developer, consultants, contractors, the Environment Agency and any other public authority relating to contamination, groundwater, remediation or groundwater migration.
• All inspection reports, enforcement records and site audit reports relating to contamination and groundwater at the former hospital site.
• All risk assessments considering the possibility of contaminants migrating beyond the site boundary.
• Any assessment demonstrating that groundwater from the former hospital site cannot adversely affect neighbouring residential properties or residents.

If any information is withheld, please identify each document withheld, specify the exemption or exception relied upon, and explain why it applies.