Bill calls for 'safe distance' from hazardous sites

Conservative MP for Castle Point, Bob Spink, said safety measures needed to be improved to protect the public and businesses from the threat of fire, explosion and contamination from potentially hazardous industrial sites.

His Planning (Location of Hazardous Sites) Bill would "require the introduction of binding guidance regarding minimum distances between developments classified as Control of Major Accident Hazard sites and other specified types of building."

Mr Spink urged the Government to introduce new measures to avoid a potential repeat of the devastating fire at the Buncefield oil depot two years ago. The explosion in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, was described as the worst in the UK since the end of the Second World War.

An inquiry found it was caused by petrol from a storage tank overflowing and igniting. Homes and businesses were damaged and the resulting fire in the tanks burned for days. Forty three people were injured.

Planning Bill

Mr Spink said any new potentially hazardous industrial sites should now be placed a considerable distance from built-up areas.

He warned of the dangers of highly flammable Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and said the consequences of an LNG explosion would be catastrophic. He told MPs: "A similar fire but with LNG rather than petrol would make Buncefield look like a village bonfire-night party".

Mr Spink said homes and businesses kilometres away from Buncefield had been damaged, but that there were "no official separation limits" to stop plants being put up close to built-up areas. He said he was fighting against proposals for a large LNG storage centre in his own constituency.

He added that his Bill, which was given an unopposed first reading, would provide clarity to the Health and Safety Executive and planning authorities, and would "save, time expense and much community anguish."

The MP for Castle Point went on to say that he hoped his ideas may be accommodated by the Government's Planning Bill, which stands a far greater chance of successful progress during the current session of Parliament.

"If the Government listen, they will amend the Planning Bill to accommodate the sensible and necessary provisions in my Bill," he told the Commons.