University allays asbestos fears

7:23am Saturday 26th April 2008

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THE University of Winchester has moved to reassure students worried by the possibility of asbestos being present in halls that are soon to be knocked down.

A student contacted the Hampshire Chronicle after seeing workmen in white boiler suits to say he was concerned that there might be asbestos at Parchment House, off Queens Road.

A university spokesman said contractors were taking precautions against any asbestos fibres that may be released as a result of sheet asbestos being removed.

"Sheet asbestos poses no risk unless it is damaged or disturbed. All health and safety requirements were fully met."

The student said: "What actually happened was around about this sort of time last year I had a friend who was living there at the time and we went to the housing office about some other issue.

"He asked somebody there if there was asbestos in there and she (someone at the office) basically said no'."

He said this month some "asbestos removal people" had moved in and fenced off the halls.

The student said his friend had now left the university and that he thought Parchment and Colebrook Houses were now empty.

"There's been guys down there with the white boiler suits on. I'm just annoyed that we asked and they said no', but the answer appears to be yes'."

But the university said there was nothing to worry about.

Parchment House, along with nearby Colebrook House, are to be demolished to make way for new halls of residence that will house almost 400 students.

Seven blocks will be built on the site and are due to be ready for the September 2009 intake, drastically reducing the number of students the university has to house in Stanmore.

A spokesman said: "When the University of Winchester rented Parchment and Colebrook from the Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare Trust, it contracted a specialist company to undertake an asbestos survey of the buildings.

"The survey revealed no exposed asbestos and confirmed that the buildings were safe to occupy.

"It was suspected that sheet asbestos could be present in the enclosed service cores, which were not accessible to the residences.

"Sheet asbestos poses no risk unless it is damaged or disturbed. All health and safety requirements were fully met.

"The developers have now begun work on the new student residences, which are due for completion in September 2009.

"This involves demolition of the existing buildings and contractors are taking precautions against any asbestos fibres that may be released as a result.

"Any student resident who enquired about asbestos would have been told that there was no asbestos risk, which was exactly the case."

In response, the student said he was happy that the asbestos did not pose a risk, but said the university should have told him and his friend if it was present, even if it did not pose a problem.