Fort George clean up less than £9m previously forecast

THE removal of Japanese Knotweed from Fort George is likely to cost £400,000 in total whilst the overall bill for remedial works at the Ilex site is now likely to be less than the £9m estimated last year.

Social Development Minister Alex Attwood revealed his Department spent just 1,450 and 2,300 figures for clearing Japanese Knotweed from the Fort George site in 2009 and in 2010 respectively.

Last year his predecessor Margaret Ritchie estimated that the costs of remediation work on the site could be up to 9 million.

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There were concerns heavy metal contamination dating back to Fort George's previous use as shipyard, port, timber treatment yard and military base, alongside ecological contamination by invasive species, could contribute to a massive clean-up bill.

But a spokesperson for the Department of Social Development (DSD) told the Sentinel it no longer believed the remediation bill would be as extensive as the 9m previously estimated.

A spokesperson said: "The costs for this project are now likely to be less than the estimated 9million. The costs quoted for Japanese Knotweed removal relate to a chemical spraying programme, which is part of the remedial strategy.

"It is a control programme. Treatment now will reduce spread of the knotweed and the amount of treatment required later.

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"It is likely that the eradication of Japanese Knotweed and common Horsetail on Fort George site will fall under the overall remediation of the site and is likely to include soil sifting and incineration of Rhizomes - the stem of the plants.

"The estimated cost of this element is approximately 400,000. The balance of the estimated costs, which are likely to be less than 9million, relate to the treatment of metalloid (metals) and hydrocarbon (petrol, oil etc.) contamination."