Over 200 public buildings in Bradford contain asbestos

More than 200 public buildings in Bradford contain asbestos and four had to be removed last year.

Data obtained by law firm Irwin Mitchell through the Freedom of Information Act showed 291 removals were carried out by 20 councils across the country in the past 12 months.

Four of these were in Bradford: at The Oaks Resource Center (Keighley), Thornton Community Centre, Peel Park Depot and Nursery and Beckfield EPH.

Bradford Council spent around £10,100 to remove asbestos from those buildings, according to further investigations.

Neighboring Kirklees Council cost £128,700 to remove asbestos from 38 properties – the fourth highest amount of removals from the responding local authority.

The Oaks Resource Centre, in Keighley, also had to have asbestos removed (Image: Google Street View)

These included six in Batley, three in Mirfield, three in Liversedge and one in Birkenshaw.

Asbestos is the general name given to several natural fibrous minerals that have crystallized to form fibers and was often used as an insulation material until it was banned in all forms in 1999.

This was due to the health risks associated with inhalation exposure to the substance.

Thornton Community Center was one of four buildings Bradford Council removed asbestos from last year (Image: Google Street View)

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “We understand the concern about asbestos in buildings and take the issue extremely seriously.

“We comply with all relevant asbestos laws and have robust policies and procedures in place to deal with it.

“We have an asbestos management team at the council which provides every building under its control with an asbestos management plan.

“The plan ensures that the material is checked, managed and kept in good condition so that no one is exposed to asbestos dust or fibers in any council building.

“We also train all our operational staff and managers in asbestos awareness and before doing anything intrusive on any of our properties we carry out a refurbishment and demolition survey.

“Any local schools containing asbestos have been given clear guidance on how to manage the material to protect pupils, visitors and staff.

“Although the use of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, a significant amount of it remains in thousands of buildings across the UK.”

David Shepherd, Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration at Kirklees Council, said: “Kirklees has a robust asbestos management plan which enables the Council’s schools and buildings which contain asbestos as part of their construction to operate safely through careful site management known of the material. .

“As part of our revenue and capital investment programmes, asbestos is removed if it is likely to be disturbed during planned works.

“We are also removing areas of damage identified through our regular inspection programs or where they have been identified by building users.

“We take asbestos management very seriously and the removal figures demonstrate our commitment to this.”