The Health and Safety Executive may force the University of Chester to abandon its science and engineering department next door to Stanlow oil refinery because of the risk to students.
This could create a massive headache for the university in terms of its current and future operations.
Former refinery owners Shell gifted the Thornton Science Park site to the university who began using it in 2014.
The problem has only arisen now because the university has lodged a retrospective application to use the former industrial site for educational purposes.
This has prompted an objection from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which planning guidance indicates should not be overridden ‘without the most careful consideration’.
Members of Cheshire West and Chester Council planning committee face an unenviable decision on Tuesday (June 5) with the university saying it needs the green light but their own professional officers recommending the scheme must be refused.
Stuart Reston from the HSE states in correspondence: “The Thornton Science Park falls wholly within the inner zone where the risk of being exposed to a toxic substance, an explosion overpressure or a thermal hazard is highest.”
He adds: “For major accidents involving fire and explosion, HSE has assessed a representative worst case event which, if it were to occur, would lead to a high likelihood of fatality for people outdoors and people indoors would likely receive a dangerous dose or worse.
“HSE advises against the granting of planning permission for all development in an inner zone apart from sensitivity 1, described as low density small industrial workplaces with less than 100 employees per building and less than three occupied storeys.”
Nexus Planning, for the university, says the accommodation is for the use of undergraduate and postgraduate students, teaching and university staff and, as required, visitors.
Nexus says the use is ‘integral to the establishment and on-going strategy for the wider science park’.
Their document argues the science park should not be considered as being within the inner consultation zone.
It adds: “Notwithstanding that, the university is also advised that the largest credible (hazardous) event at the adjacent Stanlow Manufacturing Complex site which could affect persons on the Thornton site has a relatively low likelihood and would result in relatively small, non-fatal levels of thermal radiation on the site.
“Similarly based on the limited information available for substances toxic by inhalation at Stanlow, it is estimated that there is a relatively low risk presented by these substances.
“The buildings subject to the change of use application have existing employment and related permissions with no restrictions on levels of occupancy – the use of the buildings by the Faculty of Science and Engineering (as opposed to office or other uses) will not increase the number of individuals as risk. All buildings subject to this application, except one, are two-storey.”
But in recommending refusal, area planning manager Nial Casselden argues introducing an educational use would cause unacceptable harm to the aims of supporting employment in the area.
Giving his second reason, he adds: “The proposed development would represent an unacceptable use within the inner consultation zone of a hazardous installation, introducing an unacceptably sensitive population into an area subject to a residual risk commensurate with close proximity of a major oil refinery.
“The proposal would therefore represent an unacceptable increase in the number of people being subjected to threshold levels of risk.”
The Chronicle has contacted the University of Chester for comment.
