ABSTRACT
In 1990, Langbaurgh Council decided upon the demolition of nearly one hundred houses in Grangetown, near the mouth of the River Tees, in northeast England. Few areas of housing in Britain stand as close to major industrial sites-in this case steel and petrochemicals-as Grangetown. The initial intention had been to refurbish much of the area; but this plan was modified after Langbaurgh Council decided that the more prudent action in the case of a portion of these houses was outright demolition and no subsequent rebuilding on the site. This decision was taken largely in the light of advice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Inspectorate of Pollution (HMIP) in February of that year. Their joint concerns hinged around assessment of possible risks to residents from extending the lifespan of housing in the closest proximity to ICI Wilton and British Steel plants.
